📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Batthini Vinay Kumar Goud
Religion
Owaisi’s marriage remarks spark anger in Bhopal’s Sant Samaj over Love Jihad allegations
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 16 Sep 2026, 06:01 PM
👁 8
Union Minister Asaduddin Owaisi’s comment that adults should be free to marry without legal or religious interference provoked a sharp rebuke from the Sant Samaj in Bhopal, which linked the statement to alleged Love Jihad funding.
Union Minister Asaduddin Owaisi said that an adult who wishes to marry of his own choice should not be obstructed by anyone, and that the law must not be applied through a religious lens. His remarks were made during a public discussion on personal liberty and marriage laws.
The statement triggered an immediate and vocal response from the Sant Samaj, a prominent religious body in Bhopal. Leaders of the organization condemned Owaisi’s view, arguing that it undermines traditional values and accusing the minister of indirectly supporting "Love Jihad" by suggesting that legal safeguards are being misused.
The Sant Samaj further alleged that funds for alleged Love Jihad activities are being channeled through networks linked to political figures, though no concrete evidence was presented. The controversy has heightened communal sensitivities in the capital of Madhya Pradesh, with local political leaders urging calm while awaiting any official inquiry.
No legal action has been reported so far, and Owaisi’s office has not issued a clarification. The episode adds to a series of recent debates in India over personal freedoms, religious sentiments, and the politicisation of marriage laws.
The statement triggered an immediate and vocal response from the Sant Samaj, a prominent religious body in Bhopal. Leaders of the organization condemned Owaisi’s view, arguing that it undermines traditional values and accusing the minister of indirectly supporting "Love Jihad" by suggesting that legal safeguards are being misused.
The Sant Samaj further alleged that funds for alleged Love Jihad activities are being channeled through networks linked to political figures, though no concrete evidence was presented. The controversy has heightened communal sensitivities in the capital of Madhya Pradesh, with local political leaders urging calm while awaiting any official inquiry.
No legal action has been reported so far, and Owaisi’s office has not issued a clarification. The episode adds to a series of recent debates in India over personal freedoms, religious sentiments, and the politicisation of marriage laws.