Muslims raze parts of dargah to make way for road expansion in UP's Sambhal
The mosque committee started the process on Sunday and it concluded on Monday. The committee also employed some labourers to expedite the work. Aqeel Ahmad, a member of the mosque committee, said, 'The authorities informed us that the structure was obstructing the construction work. When the officials ask for it, we have no choice but to cooperate.'
'We were waiting for Bakrid to get over. Now, we have removed the dargah ourselves,' said a local Waqar Ahmed. The committee said development work should not be obstructed by religious structures. Police and administrative teams were deployed at the site during the operation. Earlier, Hindus had also demolished a temple located just opposite the dargah. That temple too was obstructing the road project.
Sub-divisional magistrate Vandana Mishra said: 'Only the portions falling within the designated road area are being removed. This applies to parts of the dargah, mosque and even a portion of a nearby temple.'
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News18
4 hours ago
- News18
Legality & Loopholes: Why Arya Samaj Marriages Are Facing Court Heat
Last Updated: Arya Samaj marriages offer a quick route for interfaith and inter-caste couples, but rising misuse by fake groups is triggering legal and social scrutiny. The Allahabad High Court on July 28 directed the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate the functioning of 'fake Arya Samaj societies" allegedly involved in conducting illegal marriages across the state. The directive came from a single-judge bench while hearing a plea by a man named Sonu, who is accused of abducting and sexually assaulting a minor girl from a different faith. He told the court that he had later married the girl at an Arya Samaj Mandir. Sonu claimed the two had married in an Arya Samaj Mandir in Prayagraj a day before the complaint was filed and that the girl later chose to live with him after becoming an adult. The court, however, found that the girl was a minor at the time of the alleged marriage, and that no valid religious conversion had taken place between the interfaith couple as required under the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. The court also noted the marriage certificate issued by the Arya Samaj was unregistered and possibly fabricated. The case has reignited debate around the legality of marriages conducted by Arya Samaj and the role these societies play in solemnising such unions. The court also highlighted concerns over the growing number of marriages facilitated by these organisations—many of which, it noted, may be operating as 'fake" Arya Samaj societies. Founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati in 1875, the Arya Samaj began as a Hindu reform movement focused on reviving Vedic values. It gained significant influence in northern India, especially in regions like Punjab (now divided between India and Pakistan), during the late 19th century. One of the defining features of the Arya Samaj was its introduction of 'Shuddhi', or purification, which aimed to bring individuals from other faiths or ideologies into its vision of Vedic, monotheistic Hinduism. The Arya Samaj took a progressive stance on inter-caste and interfaith marriages. Before the Special Marriage Act (SMA), 1954, came into effect, it offered one of the few ways for Hindus to marry outside their caste or faith while still retaining their caste identity. To remove any ambiguity around the legality of such unions, the Arya Marriage Validation Act was enacted in 1937. This law formally recognised marriages conducted according to Arya Samaj rituals. These weddings follow a simplified set of Hindu ceremonies and require only that the couple is of legal age and identifies as Arya Samajis—regardless of caste or prior religious affiliation. The 1937 Act clearly states that Arya Samaj marriages cannot be considered invalid just because the individuals belong to different castes or were from another religion before the marriage. Why Do Couples Prefer Arya Samaj Weddings? The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955—which governs Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs—recognises marriages performed by the Arya Samaj. People from other religions can also marry under this system, provided they declare themselves members of the Arya Samaj. Many Arya Samaj temples are known to perform this conversion quickly, making the entire marriage process efficient. With minimal formalities, no lengthy waiting periods, and swift documentation, these ceremonies can be completed within a couple of hours. This convenience is particularly appealing to couples in love who face opposition from families or communities due to differences in caste or religion. While interfaith couples can also marry under the Special Marriage Act, it requires a 30-day public notice before the wedding, a step that can expose them to pressure or threats from family members or authorities. In contrast, Arya Samaj weddings offer a more private and faster alternative. How Do Fake Arya Samaj Societies Operate? While Arya Samaj marriages offer a quick and accessible option for couples facing barriers due to caste, religion, or social pressure, a growing number of fake organisations operating under the Arya Samaj name have emerged. These unauthorised groups often conduct marriages without proper checks, forged documents, and in some cases, even solemnise the weddings of underage brides. Why Are Authorities Cracking Down On Arya Samaj Marriages? A key legal question—whether Arya Samaj marriages should follow the procedures laid out in the Special Marriage Act—has been pending before the Supreme Court since 2022. Several states have passed stringent anti-conversion laws, which have led multiple High Courts to question the legality of Arya Samaj marriages, particularly those involving religious conversion. For example, under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, Section 6 voids any marriage that involves an improper or unauthorised religious conversion. Sections 8 and 9 require a formal declaration 60 days before conversion and another after the conversion, both of which must be submitted to the District Magistrate. The authorities are also required to verify that the conversion is voluntary and lawful. Section 12 of the Act shifts the burden of proof to the accused, who must prove that the conversion, and by extension, the marriage, was not carried out through coercion or fraud. This legal presumption renders many such marriages invalid by default. As a result, Arya Samaj weddings, especially those involving 'Shuddhi' before interfaith marriages, are increasingly seen as incompatible with these legal requirements. Courts have flagged concerns that many Arya Samaj organisations are solemnising marriages without ensuring legal conversions or verifying the couple's eligibility. top videos View all Over the years, there have been several cases where High Courts have directed police to investigate such marriages, citing reports of forged documents, underage brides or grooms, and conversions done without proper procedure. In 2022, the Supreme Court remarked orally that the Arya Samaj had 'no business" issuing marriage certificates. Similarly, in 2023, the Delhi High Court instructed an Arya Samaj temple to ensure the authenticity of witnesses and couples before performing ceremonies. About the Author Surbhi Pathak Surbhi Pathak, subeditor, writes on India, world affairs, science, and education. She is currently dabbling with lifestyle content. Follow her on X: @S_Pathak_11. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Arya Samaj hindu marriage act view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 02, 2025, 11:24 IST News explainers Legality & Loopholes: Why Arya Samaj Marriages Are Facing Court Heat Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
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Malegaon blast case acquittals expose a deep-rooted bias in Congress
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Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
In an Assam village, young men who found work in Gurgaon are returning in droves
'If I don't work, my family won't be able to eat. But the mahaul (atmosphere) there is scary. I will wait here for a couple of weeks, and if things improve, I will go back,' said Mohammad Anwar Hussain, from his home in Assam's Kokrajhar. Shaken by the Gurugram police's crackdown in the past two weeks, 22-year-old Hussain locked up his rented house in the city last Friday and took a train back to his village. Not just him, seven other Bengali-Muslim men from his village, Haoripet 1, in the Gossaigaon subdivision of Kokrajhar, who had been living and working in Gurugram, have returned fearing detention. In mid-July, the Gurugram police began what they called a 'routine verification' drive to identify Bangladeshis and Rohingya living illegally in the city, as part of which hundreds of Bengali-Muslims have been taken to and held in police stations and 'holding centres'. At least 250-odd such people have been released from these centres after document verification since the drive started. Anwar's uncle was one of those held as part of the drive, which cemented his decision to leave the city until the dust settles. He, his uncle, and others from his village were employed as sanitation workers and pantry workers in a sprawling corporate complex in Gurugram's Sector 74A. 'Around July 14, I started seeing people being picked up, and though I have my documents, I felt uneasy. On July 16, my uncle was held. His landlord told him that the police were summoning him and that he should go to the Badshahpur police station. When he did, he was kept there for nearly a week and was let go only after our local police station in Gossaigaon spoke to them and confirmed that he was from here. He had a hard time, and that experience scared me. So I told my company that things are not good and I want to leave for some time, and they told me that it's fine. I took a train and reached the village on Saturday. Thankfully, I had already sent my wife and two children back to the village earlier in the month,' said Hussain, who has worked in Gurugram for over five years. Hazrat Ali (25) said he was terrified when dozens of people who lived and worked with him were picked up. 'I live in a slum in the city, and for two days straight, police came and picked up one or two people from there. They were released after eight hours. On the third day, around 20-25 people were rounded up and kept for nearly a week. I was at work at the time. There were men from other parts of Assam like Dhubri, Barpeta and Bongaigaon. It was so scary, police could come any time, night or day, and take people away. Everyone around me started preparing to leave, and I felt that it wasn't safe for me to stay back if everyone else was leaving,' he said. He said that he does not intend to stay away from the city and his livelihood for long. 'I have been making calls, and people in Gurugram are telling me that it will be better soon. So I am thinking of going back this weekend, I don't want to lose my job,' he said. Another resident of the village, Aminul Hoque (20), landed in Gurugram just three months ago to join his elder brother at work, but left in panic soon after. According to Nur Mohammad Ansari, who is part of the All BTC Minority Students Union (ABMSU), hundreds of Bengali-Muslims from Gossaigaon alone work in Gurugram. 'We are trying to keep track of their situation. There are many others who are unable to come back because they are short on money. They are taking shelter in others' houses or hiding somewhere else for fear of being detained,' he said. 'It was impossible to live there like that. We work hard for eight years, and then we don't know when at night someone will come, pick us up and take us away,' said Anwar. The Gurgaon police, however, maintain that no genuine citizen needs to fear or flee the to their home state, and there is no need to panic.
