Police stopped inter-religious marriages with family consent

The police stopped an inter-religious marriage in Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow on Wednesday citing a new ordinance for conversion.

According to the Times of India, Raina Gupta (22) and Mohammad Asif (24) were to be married to the customs of the two religions, but on the information of the Hindu Mahasabha district chief, the police intervened and stopped the marriage. .

No FIR has been registered in this case as both the families have agreed to cancel the marriage till the DM's permission. Under the new law, DM permission is required for marriage and marriage can be done only after two months of giving notice.

Additional DCP (South Zone) Suresh Chandra Rawat said, "When the police arrived at the wedding ceremony, there were preparations to get married to Hindu customs and thereafter to be married to Muslim customs. The marriage was agreed to by both families But planned religious ceremonies cannot take place without conversion. "

He said that this marriage was stopped under the 'Uttar Pradesh Law Against Religion Prohibition Ordinance-2020' in which no person can neither directly or forcibly convert or get it done, which is a punishable offense.

SHO said, “That may have been later, but the couple told us that they wanted to get married. The Muslim youth wanted to become Hindu and get married. They were getting married according to Hindu rituals.”

Vijay Gupta, the bride’s father, told TOI that there was no forced religious conversion for the marriage and that both families had unconditionally given their consent to the union.

He said "I was unaware, until the police told us, that even after consent from all the parties, an interfaith marriage can be held only with the district magistrate's approval," he said. "I will comply with the police’s directive and seek the DM's permission before solemnising the marriage."