To counter 'love jihad', NGOs working towards women's issues today felicitated forty couples who had inter-caste, interfaith marriages to mark the Valentine's Day.
Couples, most of them young, were given a set of books and flower twigs along with being appreciated by 21 women's organisations including Umang, National Federation of Indian Women, Rajasthan University Women Association (RUWA), and People Union for Civil Liberty (PUCL) at a function here.
A woman autorickshaw driver Hemlata and other activists were also honoured at the event.
Speaking at a session titled "Mera Faisla, Mera Hak" (My decision, my right), PUCL Convenor Kavita Srivastava alleged that fanatic groups mainly Hindu organisations were crushing the rights of girls under the garb of "love jihad".
"How to secure Hindu votes is the main objective of the frontal organisations of BJP-RSS combine like VHP, Bajrang Dal and people from the minority community are being terrorised," she claimed.
Srivastava said the choice of getting married should be that of the girl. "It should be the choice of a girl whom she is going to marry...Not the fanatic Hindu groups," she said.
Many other heads of NGOs including Lad Kumari Jain of RUWA said there should be no fear while choosing a career or partner in life. They also laid emphasis on widow marriage and proper education for girls.
