wife is not," the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) said Wednesday, January 10.
Applications of tribal woman Meena Gond, 36, and Christian Peter Abraham, 38, were rejected after Hindu militant group Dharam Sena complained the wedding could boost Christian conversions, added the GCIC, a major advocacy group.
Deepak Singh, a district marriage officer, reportedly also objected to the marriage three times because the bride and groom follow different faiths.
"After they applied to marry, the couple patiently waited for the mandatory 40-day notice period to elapse during which objections, if any, could be filed. The waiting was over November 13" but radical Hindus filed an objection, the GCIC told BosNewsLife.
NEW DATES
"They were asked to appear December 20" only to find that the "marriage date postponed yet again," the group said. They were apparently told to come January 4 because the Hindu-demanded investigation had not been completed.
Another marriage date was scheduled for Thursday, January 11, the GCIC said, but it was unclear whether the Dharam Sena, or ‘religion army’ group would once again file objections.
Meena has reportedly threatened suicide if she is not allowed to marry Peter. "I am fed up. It looks like I should commit suicide," she was quoted as telling a GCIC official.
However in published comments the Dharam Sena official Sudhir Agarwal defended his objections saying "Peter is a Christian," who he claimed, "lured the poor tribal girl by offering money. Sooner or later, she will be forced to change her religion."
GOVERNOR INTERVENTION
GCIC National President Sajan George told BosNewsLife that his organization has asked state Governor Balram Jhakar to intervene and "ensure that justice prevails for the couple Meena and Peter."
George said the row over the marriage was the latest in a series of against incidents against India’s Christian minority. "What more Christians have to suffer for their faith? The democratic institutions in India are under siege by radicals." He said it was time that what he called "world conscience" intervenes "to restore rights of Christians."
It was not immediately clear what, if anything, the Madhya Pradesh governor would do to ensure the couple would receive marriage licenses.
