Women organisations slam govt panel set up to gather information on interfaith marriages
They have called for a public protest in which copies of the controversial government order will be burnt and demanded disbanding of the committee.
Women’s organisations have lashed out against the panel set up by the Maharashtra government to gather detailed information on interfaith and inter-caste marriages. (Express Photo by Vignesh Krishnamoorthy) Women’s organisations, including Pune’s Stree Mukti Andolan Samiti, have lashed out against the panel set up by the Maharashtra government to gather detailed information on interfaith and inter-caste marriages, urging people with “democratic mindset” to “come forward and burn copies” of the government order as a mark of protest as they called for disbandment of the committee.
On December 13, a government resolution (GR) issued by the Maharashtra Women and Child Development department said that the “inter-caste/inter-faith marriage-family coordination committee (State level)” will primarily look into tabulating data on the number of such marriages in existence and issues faced by women in such marriages.
On Thursday, the state government amended its GR to state that the onus of the committee would be limited only to gather information about inter-faith marriages and not inter-caste marriages.
Manisha Gupte, a convenor of Stree Mukti Andolan Sampark Samiti, told The Indian Express on Thursday that the state should be focusing on providing free education, healthcare and creating employment opportunities instead of interfering with what people eat, wear or whom they choose as their life partners. “The reason cited for forming this panel is stated as counselling and reconciliation with estranged parents. While this might sound lofty, we cannot ignore the fact that the growing communal and polarised environment and the media reports on the purpose of this panel will result in further polarisation of our people,” Gupte said.
Kiran Moghe, senior activist, said a public protest should be held in which copies of the government order should be burnt. “The state committee should be disbanded immediately as it has no policy or legal basis. The ministers take decisions that encroach upon women’s rights and have no idea what the real issues of women in the state are,” Moghe said.
“This is totally unconstitutional and amounts to gross interference in the right of choice especially for women,” Moghe added.
“Experience has shown that if caste system and religious discrimination are to be overcome, social integration is essential, and if inter-group marriages are increased, this will happen in a better way. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had stated exactly this way for the end of caste,” several women’s groups, including All India Democratic Women’s Association, Nari Samata Manch, Stree Mukti Sanghatana and others, said in a statement.
Meena Seshu, founder of Sampada Gramin Mahila Sanstha, said, “If I need protection from the state, I can access the same with the existing laws of the land.”
The women activists also expressed dismay at the list of members of “the moral policing committee”.
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