Muslim Clerics Oppose Marriage of Orphan Girls with ‘Muslim Names’ to Hindu Boys, Say It Threatens Hindu-Muslim Peace

Muslim clerics want an enquiry into the marriage of 4 orphan girls with ‘Muslim names’ who married Hindu boys in a mass marriage ceremony in Uttar Pradesh, as reported by TOI.

The ceremony was organised by the district administration at Mahanagar Kalyan Mandap under UP government's mass marriage scheme.

On Tuesday (16 October), 31 couples were married under the Special Marriage Act and on Wednesday ( 17 October), took seven rounds of the sacred fire and exchanged garlands in a mandap.

The girls with ‘Muslim names’ had been admitted to government shelter home at Motinagar when they were 6-10 years of age.

Chief Development Officer (CDO) Manish Bansal said that the girls may have Muslim names, but they did not follow any faith during their stay at the shelter home and expressed willingness to follow their husbands’ religion after the marriage.

Imam Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali demanded a judicial probe in the matter. "Why didn’t the district administration take Muslim clerics into confidence before the weddings. We will explore legal possibilities of dealing with the matter," he said.

Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas questioned the need of Hindu rituals for the marriages under the Special Marriage Act. He also demanded a judicial probe and said that such actions can affect cordial relations between Hindus and Muslims.