A right-wing religious group, Hindu Dharma Sena, recently announced it would pay Rs 11,000 to Hindu boys who marry Muslim girls after eloping with them.
In Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Hindu Dharma Sena President Yogesh Agrawal made the announcement. Hindu boys who choose to marry Muslim girls will receive cash rewards from the organization as financial support for their marriages.
According to Agrawal, Muslim boys are eloping with Hindu girls and enticing them with love. In his remarks, he expressed concern over the imbalance in gender ratios in Hindu society, which he claimed was further exacerbated by Love Jihad.
If Muslim girls sincerely wish to marry Hindu boys, the Hindu Dharma Sena supports love between Hindu boys and Muslim girls.
As the nation continues to debate “Love Jihad,” the timing of this announcement is significant. A number of parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have expressed opposition to Love Jihad, with Shivraj Singh Chouhan stating that such activity will not be tolerated by the state government.
However, just a few days ago, police in Indore apprehended some Muslim youths for distributing objectionable pamphlets warning unmarried Muslim girls about the alleged ‘Bhagwa love trap’ that could lead them to convert to Hinduism. Bajrang Dal and RSS are alleged to have carried out these actions.
A focus on individual rights and choices is crucial when addressing such controversies and debates surrounding interfaith marriages.
