Mandya gives the boot to bandh call over inter-religious marriage

Mandya: Normal remained unaffected and business establishments continued to function without a hitch as a bandh called by pro-Hindu activists to protest against an inter-religious marriage evoked a tepid response on Saturday.

The police had not given permission for the bandh. Two protesters, who burnt tyres and shouted slogans, were arrested. “The town was peaceful and normal life remained unaffected. Commercial and other activities continued as usual,” said Mandya Superintendent of Police C.H. Sudheer.

Hindu activists are protesting against the wedding of 28-year-old Ashitha with Shakeel, who is also 28, which is scheduled to be held at the Taj Convention Hall, near Bannimantap in Mysuru at 7.30 pm on Sunday.

“Although the families of the bride and groom have not sought any protection, assessing the situation, we have voluntarily given security to both the families in Mandya. We will coordinate with the Mysuru police to provide security for the wedding in Mysuru on Sunday evening,” Mr Sudheer said.

A few BJP workers staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office and later submitted a memorandum. Amidst opposition, wedding preparations went on briskly at the residences of the two families. While the haldi ritual was held on Friday, mehndi was on Saturday.

Bride’s father Dr Narendra Babu told Deccan Chronicle, “I am purely secular. I believe God is a Shakthi (strength), and I do not believe in customs. We are not following the Hindu or the Muslim custom for the wedding. There will be a ceremony in front of God, and there will only be a wedding reception in Mysuru on Sunday evening for friends and relatives.”

He said, “Groom Shakeel’s father Mukther Ahmed and I have been good friends for the last 50 years. Mukther’s father ran his business near our house. Although Mukther was two years senior to me, we used to go to school together.

My daughter Ashita and Mukther’s second son Shakeel are friends ever since they were small children. They did their education together right from PUC to MBA. Ashita has done her MBA in HR and she later went to England to pursue her MS in HR.

Shakeel has also done his MBA in Marketing. Mukther is a rice and jaggery merchant in Mandya. Shakeel is looking after his father’s business and is also the proprietor of Deccan Trading Corporation.

Our daughter kept telling us that she was not interested in marriage, but only later she told us that she wanted to get married to Shakeel, and we happily agreed. Relatives from our side and Shakeel’s too are happy. Whatever the opposition, it cannot be stopped. A wedding is the marriage of two hearts and nobody can separate them.”