Girls Married Off In Camps, Dumped Within Months In Muzaffarnagar

[timmy]

In the aftermath of the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, Akhilesh Yadav's Uttar Pradesh government, under criticism, promised Rs 1 lakh for any girl getting married at the relief camps. But that has resulted in hundreds of spurious marriages with young girls being married for just days and then being dumped after grooms' families grabbed their Rs 1 lakh.

In UP's worst riots in 20 years, 62 people died, over 100 were injured and more than 50,000 were displaced. In late September 2013, the Shamli relief camp saw a mass wedding with each bride getting Rs 1 lakh from the government.

The payouts set off mass weddings across relief camps. But soon the young brides found that many of these marriages were a sham. "We were told we will get Rs 1 lakh. But since my family didn't get it, my husband divorced me. I tried to convince them but failed," said Naseema.

The Akhilesh Yadav government, under criticism, had promised Rs 1 lakh for any girl getting married at the relief camps.

In October 2013, Naseema, a riot victim from Fugana, married Aasu Mohammad with 61 couples tying the knot at a mass wedding in Loyi relief camp. But 3 months later, Naseema had divorce papers in hand.

"They ask why we're not giving them Rs 1 lakh in dowry if the government paid us. When we have received nothing how will we pay them," Naseema asked. "I can't pay anyone. I broke my leg and can't work. I'm in a terrible state myself," said her father.

On the phone, Naseema's former in-laws say they did not demand money. "We never asked for any money. This is not true," said Salim Ali, Naseema's former father-in-law.

At Jauli relief camp, Nagma too, married to Hashim in October 2013, has been thrown out by her in-laws. Girls like Nagma and Saira, another victim now abandoned by her husband, blame the UP government for their plight. "They keep delaying the payout. My parents got nothing. If the government hadn't announced a payout, my life wouldn't have been destroyed," Nagma said.

In a short span of three months post riots, anywhere close to 500 mass marriages were solemnised in Muzaffarnagar. There was no love in the times of violence, rather a hasty step for many parents to seek protection for their daughters against sexual harassment and assault in the relief camps, and also an additional cheque of Rs 1 lakh, a huge amount for the poor.

[Captain_nd_Coke]

Up gone to dogs

[kairajakai]

Anthaa seenu ledhu