BJP leader cancels daughter’s marriage to Muslim man, cites ‘public sentiments’

The marriage of the BJP leader’s daughter was scheduled to be held on 28 May. 

The viral wedding card gained a lot of attention on social media, wherein supporters and opposers of BJP and its ideologies trolled and criticised the BJP leader Benam. 

“The BJP-ruled states are making films like ‘The Kerala Story’ tax-free while here a BJP leader’s daughter is marrying a Muslim man. These are double standards of the BJP and party workers will get demoralised,” said a Facebook user.

Hindutva hardliners were critical of the former MLA and the saffron party alleging “double standards”, others called the marriage an attempt of “Love Jihad”, comparing it with the recently released controversial movie The Kerala Stories.

“Being a public representative, I did not want my daughter’s marriage to take place under the protection of the police and the administration. I respect public sentiments,” the BJP leader told media persons on Saturday.

“My daughter was going to get married to a Muslim youth. Keeping in view the happiness and future of the children, both families had decided to get them married, for which the cards were also printed and shared. But after the invitation card for the wedding went viral on social media, many types of things came to the fore objecting to the wedding,” he said.

“After the controversy erupted, with mutual consent, both families decided not to carry out the marriage rituals for the time being,” the BJP leader added.

However, he said that the decision regarding his daughter’s marriage to the same man would be taken together with the family, well-wishers and the groom’s side.

Benam is the chairman of the Pauri Municipal Corporation. He was earlier with the Congress and won as an independent from the Pauri Assembly constituency in 2007.

While claims of polarisation and the consequent manifestation in society is denied by authoritarian figures, unless it is ‘fictionalised’ in movies blaming one religious faith, this incident potentially bears testimony to the dichotomization in contemporary society. 

(With agency inputs)