Two Muslim women from UP return to Hindu Dharma, marry their Hindu boyfriends

• Marriage ceremony held at Bareilly and Sitapur respectively

• Both women ran away from the family due to their opposition to the marriage

Muslim girls voluntarily returned to Hinduism

Bareilly / Sitapur (UP) – In two separate incidents here, two Muslim women voluntarily returned to Hindu Dharma to marry their Hindu boyfriends, despite family opposition to their relationships. Both girls ran away with their boyfriends and got married. Nisha from Bijnor is now known as Radhika and has married a young man named Rajesh Kumar, while Nida Bano from Sitapur District is now known as Nidhi and has married Rachit Kumar. These marriages, which took place on 18^thMay, were supported by Hindu organisations, and performed with the chanting of Vedic mantras and ‘Jai Shriram’ slogans.

The story of Nisha alias Radhika

Nisha from Bareilly arrived at the Agastya Muni Ashram with her boyfriend Rajesh. She presented proof of adulthood to Pandit K K Shankhadhar and expressed her desire to marry Rajesh. After verifying affidavits and other legal documents, they were married according to Vedic rituals. Both Nisha and Rajesh are residents of Seohara in Bijnor District. Nisha explained that Rajesh used to visit her village to meet her relatives, and they met five years ago, which blossomed into love. Due to her family’s opposition to their relationship, they ran away and got married.

Pandit Shankhadhar’s sharp retort to the Muslims

Pandit K K Shankhadhar, the priest who officiated the marriage, stated that he was threatened by individuals associated with Ala Hazrat in Bareilly after the ceremony. He was also accused of illegally converting Muslim girls. Pandit Shankhadhar emphasised that all the girls who married are adults and that their decision to return to Hindu Dharma was entirely their own. He expressed hope that the administration would not only take strict action against those making threats but also ensure that the safety of the couples is taken seriously.

The story of Nida Bano alias Nidhi

Another case is from Sitapur District of Uttar Pradesh, where a girl named Nida Bano returned to Hindu Dharma and became Nidhi by getting married to Rachit Kumar. The devout Hindus of the ‘Rashtriya Hindu Sher Sena’ organisation assisted them with the marriage. The president of the association ‘Vikas Hindu’ explained in this regard that 20- year-old Nida Bano and Rachit had been in a relationship for 3 years. Nida is from Imalia village in Sitapur District, and 22-year-old Rachit Kumar is her neighbour. Both attended the same school. Nida’s family opposed the marriage, and upon learning of their relationship, Nida’s brother even attempted to strangle her. Her family also went to Rachit’s house to issue threats.

Newly married Nidhi expressed her happiness with the marriage, saying,”I am very happy with this marriage. I used to fear things like ‘triple talaq’ and ‘halala’ (Halala is the Islamic practice where a wife has physical relations with another man to remarry a divorced husband).”

Editorial Perspective

Why don’t the so-called secularists, who preach to Hindus that love should not be bound by religion, preach to the families of such Muslim girls who prevent them from marrying Hindu youths ?