A big decision has come in the love jihad case of the famous Ankita Rathore and Hasnain Ansari in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The court of Additional Collector and Marriage Officer Nathu Ram Gaur has rejected his marriage application under Section 5 of the Special Marriage Act 1954. The main reason for dismissing the application was that Hasnain Ansari was not staying at the address given in the application.

Investigation revealed that Hasnain was not staying at the address mentioned for the last 10 years, due to which the application was canceled. This decision has been welcomed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. Organizations have demanded Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to take strict steps to prevent cases like Love Jihad. These organizations also said that before the application of such weddings, it should be made mandatory to give notifications in big newspapers, so that the situation could be clear in time, the same objection was also raised by Hindu organizations in the whole matter.

Application was given in October 2024

Ankita Rathore of Indore and Hasanain Ansari, a resident of Sihora in Jabalpur, gave a marriage application on 7 October 2024. In December 2024, the Madhya Pradesh High Court allowed marriage under the Special Hindu Marriage Act, but Hinduist organizations and parents of the girl opposed this marriage. The girl’s parents had also lodged a report of kidnapping and demanded the administration that the girl should be handed over to them. At the same time, Hinduist organizations protested and claimed that marriage between Muslim boy and Hindu girl is not valid under Muslim personal law. He cited the decision of Justice Ahluwalia in May 2024, stating that such marriages give rise to the possibility of conversion.

MLA advised to change the decision

On the previous day, Hyderabad MLA T. Raja Singh and other organizations also protested in this matter. Hyderabad MLA and Hinduist leader T Raja Singh had demanded immediate intervention from the government and the Chief Minister on the issue. He said that if concrete steps are not taken, then more such cases of love jihad will come up in the state. He has appealed to Hindu organizations to provide all possible help to Ankita’s family. T. Raja Singh, while suggesting Ankita to change his decision, said that in future he may have to regret this decision. Along with this, it was also said to go to the Supreme Court, but after the marriage application was rejected, this dispute took a new turn.

Hearing on petition in High Court

Last week, this petition was heard in the double bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Kumar Jain. The court had clearly stated that any couple have the right to marry under Section 4 of the Special Marriage Act 1954. The court also said that there should be no obstruction in the path of marriage of the lover couple. The young man and the woman had expressed concern about their safety during the hearing, after which the High Court directed the police and administration to provide them protection. The court said that police protection should be given to the loving couple for one month from marriage.

Instructions given to police-administration

Apart from this, the SP of the concerned district was directed to take steps as per the need for safety. The court directed the marriage court to get Ankita and Hasnain married without any interruption. If there is any kind of obstruction, the police and administration should take immediate action. The court also said that this case is not only about two persons, but is to their constitutional rights and personal freedom. Rejecting the petition filed by the girl’s father, the court had said that the aim of the Special Marriage Act is to recognize the marriage by going beyond the boundaries of religion, caste, and community. The court said that this right is provided by the Constitution, which no one can disrupt.

At the same time, Sumit Singh Thakur, the department convenor of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, justified this decision and called it a victory of Hindu society. It is clear from this episode that social and religious organizations are constantly playing an active role in such cases. The verdict has highlighted not only the administrative functioning but also the communal tension spread in the society.