Two days after registration of marriage was made compulsory in Uttar Pradesh, the only Muslim minister in Yogi Government Mohsin Raza got his marriage registered in lucknow on Thursday.
“When the Government has made it mandatory I thought why to wait, so I got my marriage registered on Thursday. Probably, I was the first minister to get my marriage registered after UP Government made it compulsory,” Raza told The Pioneer.
Raza married Fauzia Sarvar Fatima 16 years back as per Muslim custom. He reached office of the ADM, Trans-Gomti along with his father and mother and filled the registration form.
Raza said that there is a section of people in minority community who are opposing registration of marriage. “The argument they offer is wrong. Some clerics are trying to mix religion with this order. I decided to go ahead with registration to send a message loud and clear that every wedded Muslim should get his marriage registered,” he said.
The Yogi government has made registration of marriage mandatory by amending Marriage Registration Act, 2017. The amendment made it clear that people of all religion need to register the marriage. The order even fixed the rate which ranged from Rs 10 to Rs 50 depending on the tenure of marriage. Registration would help couples to avail benefits of government schemes.
Women Welfare minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi told reporters that Supreme Court had directed all states and Union Territories to bring in suitable legislation to make registration of marriage compulsory. The Court had said that several states had made it compulsory only for members of the Hindu community but it should be compulsory for all religion.
Joshi said that if couples fail to get their marriage registered they will be deprived of facilities that require marriage certificate.