- Muslim girls are being married off by desperate parents, who now say they cannot wait for their girls to cross the age of 21.
- Panic has struck Islamist neighbourhoods, and Mewat is leading the way.
- Nuh district of Mewat is among the most backward districts of India.
- According to reports, the region witnessed hundreds of weddings over the weekend of girls aged between 18 and 20 with parents rushing to get over with their “responsibility” while it was still legal to do so.
It is the season of marriage in Haryana’s Mewat, also known as the mini-Pakistan of India. Muslim girls are being married off by desperate parents, who now say they cannot wait for their girls to cross the age of 21. This comes as the Modi government has pulverised the Islamist ecosystem with its decision to increase the marriageable age of women to 21.
On December 15, the Union Cabinet stepped in with the decision to increase the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years. The law has now been sent to a parliamentary panel for further examination.
However, the decision has set the Islamist lobby’s posterior on fire. Though their imprudent opinion on almost every sensible decision needs no introduction, the recent meltdown of the lobby is quite an interesting show to watch.
Panic has struck Islamist neighbourhoods, and Mewat is leading the way. Reports now prove how Muslims lead the crusade in marrying their daughters prematurely. They have begun conducting overnight marriages, to somehow get rid of their daughters before the new law is notified.
Nuh district of Mewat is among the most backward districts of India. It is also one where Muslim girls are married off very early. According to reports, the region witnessed hundreds of weddings over the weekend of girls aged between 18 and 20 with parents rushing to get over with their “responsibility” while it was still legal to do so.“I am flooded with requests for grooms who are ready to marry within two days. We are making these announcements during prayer meetings,” Mushtaq, an imam from Nuh told the Tribune.
Excellent ground report from Mewat, Haryana on Govt’s proposed move to increase marriage age of girls to 21 uniformly across religions. Do watch@Runjhunsharmas @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/AyU9opfIAo
— Aman Sharma (@AmanKayamHai_) December 22, 2021
The Tribune reported how one Safeena Ahmed (name changed) was shocked by the attitude of her parents. She said, “I am from a relatively more liberal and educated family and the first in my family to go to Delhi University. I was allowed to stay in a hostel and the wedding was never spoken about. However, on Friday when I was out shopping with my mother, my father called and suddenly my mother put aside the salwar-kameez and started looking for bridal ‘gararas’.”
Safeena added, “I was shocked. When we got home, I was told a new law was being made to raise women’s marriage age to 21. My family wanted to hurry up with the wedding, fearing that the boy and his family wouldn’t wait for another 3 years. The wedding has now been fixed for Monday.”
Interestingly, the law to raise the marriageable age of women will come into force only two years after the enactment of the law. Yet, panic has struck Mewat, and girls are being married off without their free will. Choice has always been an alien concept in such neighbourhoods, but now, the dark side of such districts has been brought to light for all to see.
