Uttarakhand mulls ending scheme that gives Rs 50k for inter-faith marriages

Praiseworthy decision of Uttarakhand Government

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) – One of the first states to have passed a law against love jihad, Uttarakhand‘ may end monetary benefits extended to couples who had an inter-faith marriage.
The move is being mulled after the state government got into a sticky situation recently when the social welfare department issued a press release providing details of 18 couples in one district alone (Tehri) who had benefited from a scheme which provides Rs 50,000 for inter-faith marriages.

Uttarakhand mulls ending scheme that gives Rs 50k for inter-faith marriages https://t.co/0iQKes1Ok4

— TOI India (@TOIIndiaNews) November 30, 2020

Uttarakhand had in 2018 passed the ‘Freedom of ‘Religion Bill’, entailing a two-year jail term for anyone found guilty of religious conversion through force or allurement. With it, Uttarakhand had joined states like Odisha, MP, Chhattisgarh, HP and Gujarat to have the anti-conversion law in one form or the other.

Recently, when the social welfare department issued the press release outlining benefits given under the scheme to inter-faith couples, questions were raised by a section of people who alleged that the Government was promoting ‘love jihad’ by continuing with such schemes. CM TS Rawat was quick to order a probe into the matter. Sources said the State administration, in a fix now over the issue, is mulling dropping the financial assistance for inter-faith marriages. It is likely to continue with the monetary assistance for inter-caste marriages though.