Mumbai: Vishal Vimal, a social activist from Pune working with the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, has helped facilitate 18 interfaith marriages over the previous six years.
Intercaste and interfaith {couples} strategy the organisation searching for assist. “Lots of their dad and mom are in opposition to their union,” mentioned Vimal.
“We verify whether or not they’re actually in love or if it’s simply attraction. We provide some counselling and ensure they’ll be capable to dwell independently,” he added. The organisation then helps interfaith {couples} register their marriage beneath the Particular Marriage Act.
Vimal himself has been married to a Muslim girl since 2016. Nevertheless, in his case, the wedding was blessed by each units of fogeys.
Maharashtra’s concentrate on interfaith marriages and ‘love jihad’, following the deaths of Shraddha Walkar and actor Tunisha Sharma final yr, although, have made Vimal anxious. “That is being carried out for polarisation of votes,” he mentioned.
On 25 December, Maharashtra cupboard minister Girish Mahajan, calling Tunisha Sharma’s alleged suicide a case of ‘love jihad’, had mentioned that the state is planning a legislation in opposition to it. The remark had adopted the arrest of actor Sheezan Mohammed Khan on the fees of abetment to suicide.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, too, has acknowledged a number of occasions up to now that the federal government is mulling a legislation in opposition to love jihad. “Different states have made stringent legal guidelines to curb such instances and therefore Maharashtra is able to enact the legislation on comparable traces to make sure the safety of girls,” he mentioned within the state meeting on 20 December.
In accordance with political analyst Hemant Desai, beforehand solely sure pockets of the state noticed Hindu-Muslim pressure, however with latest occasions, communal traces are being drawn throughout the state.
Earlier in December, the Shinde-Fadnavis authorities within the state arrange a committee to collect details about intercaste and interfaith {couples}, and to investigate whether or not the households of the ladies concerned are estranged. Nevertheless, after going through backlash over the committee “selling caste system”, the federal government amended its scope to incorporate solely interfaith marriages.
On 14 December, Nationalist Congress Celebration (NCP) chief Jitendra Awhad had tweeted that organising the committee is an “anti-constitutional” and “nauseating” step.
What’s this garbage of committee to verify inter caste/faith marriages? Who’s govt to spy on who marries whome? In liberal Maharashtra this a retrograde, nauseating step.Which means is progressive #Maharashtra heading in the direction of. Steer clear of folks’s pvt life. pic.twitter.com/pnjwNjE6Rt
— Dr.Jitendra Awhad (@Awhadspeaks) December 14, 2022
Ambadas Danve, chief of opposition within the Maharashtra Legislative Council and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) member, instructed ThePrint that the teasing of a ‘love jihad’ legislation is a politically motivated transfer by the BJP.
“We are going to research the legislation as soon as it’s introduced in. If the couple goes into these marriages consciously then why oppose it?” he requested, including that forcible conversions should include some circumstances.
Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant instructed ThePrint, “The state authorities has an utter disregard for the structure. This legislation can be anti-woman because it takes away their proper to decide on. It’s the anti-idea of India.”
Political consultants say that it units a harmful precedent and divides folks on communal traces.
“The federal government obtained these two instances [Shraddha and Tunisha] on a platter for the BJP to pursue its agenda additional. They’re making a narrative that divides the general public on communal traces,” mentioned Pratap Asbe, political commentator.
Flavia Agnes, ladies’s rights activist, and lawyer at Bombay Excessive Courtroom, referred to as the interfaith marriage committee “absurd”. “They declare to be safeguarding ladies in opposition to home violence however that’s prevalent in every kind of marriages, not solely interfaith marriages,” she mentioned, including that such legal guidelines will solely hurt Hindu ladies and their proper to decide on.
Additionally Learn: ‘Love-jihad’ has a brand new territory. With Jharkhand homicide, it has entered the tribal belt
Political mileage?
Some imagine the BJP is utilizing the 2 instances to color the opposition as anti-Hindu, particularly Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).
“BJP can be making an attempt to color Uddhav Thackeray as somebody who’s anti-Hindu and going nearer to NCP and Congress,” mentioned Hemant Desai,
Asbe is of the opinion that whereas the BJP is making an attempt to achieve political mileage, the BMC elections can be fought on BMC points and never on communal traces. “Greater than success fee, that is being carried out to maintain the communal pot in Maharashtra simmering,” he mentioned.
Desai mentioned that earlier there have been solely sure pockets within the state like Aurangabad, Malegaon, and Bhiwandi the place Hindu-Muslim tensions prevailed, however utilizing these instances, the federal government is making an attempt to set the same narrative throughout the state.
This was noticed when Kolhapur, which has not been traditionally communal in accordance with Desai, was the venue for a march Monday by Hindu organisations in opposition to ‘love jihad’, alleged unlawful conversions and cow slaughter.
He added that BJP may need to struggle elections on this plank sooner or later.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Additionally Learn: Maharashtra interfaith marriage panel not about love jihad, however serving to ladies: Minister Lodha