The recent incident in Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, where an interfaith couple faced harassment after notifying officials of their intent to marry, highlights a growing pattern of intolerance and societal interference in personal choices. Their details were leaked, leading to a campaign of threats and intimidation by right-wing groups under the guise of preventing so-called “love jihad.” The couple had to seek protection from the Uttarakhand High Court, yet the situation remains precarious.
This is not an isolated case. Across several states, interfaith couples have been subjected to scrutiny, public shaming, and in some cases, even violence. The Special Marriage Act (SMA), which was designed to provide a legal framework for such marriages, has instead been weaponized against the very people it was meant to protect. The one-month public notice requirement has become a tool for harassment, allowing vigilante groups and even local authorities to intervene and pressure couples into withdrawing their decision.
The political climate has further emboldened such interference. The BJP’s narrative on “love jihad” has provided legitimacy to self-appointed guardians of culture, who take it upon themselves to police personal relationships. This is not limited to states like Uttarakhand; even in Maharashtra, the Eknath Shinde government set up district-level committees in 2022 to investigate interfaith and inter-caste marriages, reinforcing an atmosphere of surveillance and fear.
Despite judicial directives, safe houses for such couples remain rare, leaving them vulnerable to social and familial pressures. A marriage is an intensely personal decision—it is neither the state’s nor society’s prerogative to dictate who one should love and marry. The government’s role should be to protect, not to police.
India has long prided itself on secularism and social harmony, but the targeting of interfaith marriages is a disturbing sign of deepening divisions. The ruling party’s attempts to portray such unions as a threat to Hindu identity only serve to erode the principles of individual freedom and equality.
Instead of allowing marriage to be turned into a battleground for political agendas, authorities must uphold the constitutional rights of citizens. Strict action should be taken against those who harass or endanger interfaith couples. Personal freedom must not be sacrificed at the altar of majoritarian politics.
Author: This news is edited by: Abhishek Verma, (Editor, CANON TIMES)
Authentic news.
