Telangana: Hindu man helps Muslim girl wed

Hyderabad: A Hindu man helped a poor Muslim family get their daughter married. Mr Rajesh Masuri from Langar Houz  and his group of friends took care of everything from food to the décor. The family could only buy the wedding dress for Ms Sultana Begum, 18, daughter of Mr Mohd. Shulumeya. The marriage took place on December 22 at Haridaspura community hall.

Mr Masuri, 30, said he knew the family, which was living on rent in a basti, for two years. Mr Shulumeya works as a cleaner in a hotel and the family has three children, Ms Sultana being the eldest. Ms Sultana’s marriage was getting delayed due to lack of funds. “The couple could get no help from the rest of the family,” Mr Masuri said. When he learnt of their problem, he offered to help out. “I was supported by a few Muslims,” he said.  

Mr Mansuri, a housekeeping contractor, and his friends put together Rs 20,000 with which they paid for the community hall and vegetarian food for 250 guests. Ms Kajabee, the bride’s mother, said, “Not many from my community came forward to help as much as Rajesh bhai and his friends.” Ms Sultana married Mr Mohd Saleem, 30, a daily wage worker from an adjacent basti.

The family had applied for the government’s Shadi Mubarak scheme, which provides Rs 51,000 to poor Muslims, but the release of funds was delayed. “There was pressure from the groom’s family and we could not wait,” Ms Kajabee said.