oppn parties Protests Force BJP Leader To Cancel Daugther's Interfaith Wedding

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Protests Force BJP Leader To Cancel Daugther's Interfaith Wedding

By Linus Garg
First publised on 2023-05-22 07:21:38

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.

A BJP leader, Yashpal Benam, chairperson of the Pauri municipality in Uttarakhand and a former MLA has had to cancel his daughter's interfaith wedding with a Muslim man. The reason given was that the 'present environment is not suitable' and the groom's father does not want the marriage to be solemnized under police protection. But reports suggest that the leader was forced to cancel the wedding following a huge controversy and protests after the distribution of the wedding cards. The wedding functions were scheduled for May 26, 27 and 28.

But it is clear that despite taking the conscious and considered decision to go for an interfaith marriage for his daughter, Benam was pressurized into cancelling it. This is proved by his statement which had two parts. In the first part he said that "my daughter's marriage was fixed with her friend, a Muslim from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, with the consent of both families. We had taken the decision keeping in view the happiness and future of the children. Today, adults are free to decide about their personal lives". But in the second part of the statement, Benam said that "as a public representative and municipal chairman, I am answerable towards the public, and have to respect their sentiments".

The second part of the statement was perhaps a result of the series of protests carried out by right-wing organizations like the VHP and the Bajrang Dal which swung into action after the wedding card went viral. It was obvious that the BJP and the right-wing outfits associated with it, who are going after Muslim boys for conducting love jihad (in which, according to them, these boys, as part of an alleged conspiracy, entrap Hindu girls into marrying them and then convert them to Islam), would never allow the wedding to take place as it was the daughter of one of their party leaders. Although Benam, as a father, took a bold and progressive decision to go ahead with the marriage, he was forced to cancel it as it went against the policies of the party he represents. For, if the daughters of BJP leaders start marrying Muslim boys, the allegations of, and the drive against, love jihad will fall flat on its face.  

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