Social media websites are awash with a viral video about a row at a wedding in Ward No.41 of Aman Vihar, Delhi. The Hindu activists have alleged that a minor Hindu girl was converted and being married off to a 40-year-old Mohammed Intezar Hussain. They have also accused Delhi Police of not cooperating in halting the criminal act. On the other hand, Delhi Police has rubbished the allegations, stating that both the marrying individuals are adults and have the agency to decide whom to marry.
The incident took place on Friday, 5 March 2021. The row erupted after Hindu organisations reached the spot and opposed the Nikah ceremony that was underway. Tensions between the two communities in the region flared up, after which a contingent of the police force was deployed to avert any untoward incident. Additionally, Section 144 was imposed in the region.
Following the incident, OpIndia got in touch with the sparring parties to know more about the incident. While Mohammed Intezar’s family refused to talk to the media about the case, Bajrang Dal activist Vishal Singh Chandel shared his side of the story about the acrimonious quarrel between the two communities. Chandel said he received a tip-off that a 17-year-old girl studying in 7th standard was being married off to a middle-aged man.
The issue would have gone unnoticed, save for the dissonance between the age of the girl and the standard in which she was studying. Speaking about the discrepancy, Chandel said a fake Aadhar card was prepared to show the girl as an adult. He also added that based on this fake Aadhaar card, the Delhi Police declared the girl an adult.
Chandel also stated that he bears no grudge against the Muslims or is not prejudiced against them. Characterising the case as ‘Love Jihad’, he said the nikah ceremony was carried out in a Hindu dominated area amidst the din of DJs and music. He also alleged that the girl was converted to Islam, calling it an affront to the Hindu society.
“The Hindu family of the girl has been taken somewhere else by the police administration so that we, Hindu workers, cannot meet them. The top police officers called us and we had a meeting with them. They have assured that the authenticity of the Aadhaar Card will be checked, along with the girl’s school ID. However, the Delhi Police have not initiated any investigation into the matter and instead have imposed Section 144 in the area,” a visibly disgruntled Chandel said.
While talking to Sudarshan News, he said, “Why has the police converted the place into a camp?” Are Hindus terrorists? Do members of the Hindu community indulge in stone-pelting? We are a civilized society, we do not fight with anyone.”
At the same time, another VHP worker said, “I spoke to the father’s girl and assured him that if he is under duress or being pressurised, our organisation will help him financially and get his daughter married to a Hindu boy.”
The said VHP functionary further declared that they are ready to hand over a plot worth Rs 15 lakh to the girl. He said Mohammed Intezar could not even afford a good pair of slippers, how he would take care of the girl. He also said Intezar’s family could not even provide a square meal to the girl.
A local person in the area echoed similar sentiments, stating that the concerned Muslim family is poor and their financial condition is weak. He conjectured that the girl was brainwashed into marrying the middle-aged Muslim man. Quoting the girl’s aunt, the person said that even relatives staunchly opposed the marriage. Neighbours believe that there is something fishy behind the entire matter. Locals have reiterated the Hindu organisations’ assertion that the girl is a minor. Members of the Bajrang Dal in the area claimed the family members were unhappy with the marriage.
Bajrang Dal convenor Satish Gupta said the whereabouts of the girl’s family should be made public. Though the DCP had assured a legal inquiry into the matter, Gupta said he would raise the matter on a bigger platform. The video of the entire case has already gone viral on social media, in which relatives are seen talking about ‘Love Jihad in a Hindu Area’.
The Bajrang Dal activists have accused the police of trying to sweep the case under the rug. They have released a video on social media, stating that the entire area has been converted into a cantonment by the police. Chandel says this is the first time when he has witnessed a case of ‘Love Jihad’ in a predominantly Hindu-majority region.
This area comes under the Kiradi assembly constituency. Opindia spoke to former MLA and BJP leader Anil Jha here. He said the marriage will not be allowed since it was carried out under ‘Love Jihad’. He said he has recently reached Delhi and is keeping a close eye on the matter. He said, “It appears that the family members of the girl were paid money for the marriage. This is unacceptable. We will not allow this marriage to happen this way.”
We also contacted Rituraj Jha, the current MLA and AAP leader of Kiradi. But he refused to talk about it. He said he does not give statements on phone and would speak about the matter if he is asked about it in his office. DCP Pramod Kumar Mishra, while denying the allegations against the police, said both the girl and the boy are adults and rumours going around in the case are baseless.
