Repeal of Muslim Marriage Act in Assam aimed at distancing Muslims from their religion: Owaisi

Hyderabad, Feb 27: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday claimed that the Assam Cabinet’s decision to repeal the Muslim Marriages Act is aimed at distancing Muslims from their religion and religious practices.

“In Assam, the BJP government has done away with the law that was 90 years old. According to that law, the marriage of Assam Muslims used to happen through ‘qazi’ or registrars, and they used to get the ‘nikahnama’ certificate,” he told reporters here.

The government has removed that system, he said and asked if there a provision of ‘nikah’ in the special marriage act.

The wedding should happen as per one’s religion, he said.

There is no religion in the special marriage act which is a neutral, secular law, he said.

Observing that ‘Mehr’ which is given to brides in Muslim marriages, has been removed, he asked whether it is a loss to women or not.

“If marriage is registered under special marriage act, inheritance will not be available under Muslim personal law. The purpose is to distance Muslims from their religion and their religious practices,” he told reporters here.

The Assam cabinet had given its nod to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, in a bid to end child marriage, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday.