Hyderabad: Dept. of Minorities Welfare, Govt. of Telangana has prepared the draft of the enactment to stop the marriages of minor girls with Arab nationals. This draft has been sent to Law Dept. for its approval. Stringent conditions have been laid down for such marriages. It is proposed to take action against not only the parents of the minor girls but also the middlemen.
It may be noted that with the recently held marriages of two minor girls with Arab citizens, the name of Hyderabad City hit the headlines of the media once again.
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Govt. advised the Dept. of Minorities Welfare to prepare a draft enactment. In compliance with the orders of the Govt., Mr. Syed Omer Jaleel, IAS, Secretary, Dept. of Minorities Welfare, Govt. of Telangana prepared a draft bill and sent it to Law Dept.
It is understood that the entry of performing marriage should compulsorily be made in the passports of foreign nationals and also to get NOC from the respective governments. After fulfilling both these conditions, such foreigners should submit these documents to the Commissioner of Police in Hyderabad or SP in Telangana districts.
One of the conditions is that the difference between the age of the bride and the groom should not exceed 10 years. In addition to it, the foreigner should deposit Rs. 10 lakh in bride’s account. He has to give an undertaking that the Indian bride would be treated on par with the native bride. She would get a full share in his property. He has to submit the details of his first wife (if any) and the property. After the marriage, meeting of the bride should be arranged with the officials of Indian Embassy every three months so that her well-being could be ascertained.
Mr. Omer Jaleel told that it has been observed that foreigners are getting married to the minor girls in connivance with Qazis. The conditions of marriage resemble the conditions of contract marriage which are not permissible in Islamic sharia. He also said that the Muslim clerics should come forward to stop such marriages. Govt. received complaints of misbehaviors in such marriage cases. If action is taken against the Qazis, they get stay orders from the courts. The proposed law does not provide any scope for getting such relief.
It has also been reported that in some cases, the minor girls are being taken to Mumbai, Delhi or Chennai for marriages. Govt. is very serious to eradicate such instances. It also proposes to hold a consultative meeting the Ulemas, Qazis and legal experts.
–Siasat News