Asif, Rasika pained by 'love Jihad' rant on their marriage

Story by  Aasha Khosa | Posted by  Aasha Khosa • 2 Years ago
Rasika and Asif (TV image)
Rasika and Asif (TV image)

 

Delhi

Rasika Adgaonkar and Ashif Khan of Nashik, Maharashtra, were childhood friends and recently got married in a court of law under the Special Marriages Act without either having to change their religion.

 To their shock, they and their families were faced with an awkward situation wherein strangers and people unknown to them started calling their bond as ‘love jihad’ and finally managed to force Rasika’s family cancel a wedding function they have sent invites for to a lot of people.

It took a leaked wedding card about solemnizing the marriage of their 28-year old daughter Rasika to Asif, son of Maqbool Khan, to spike the happiness of the two families. Rasika is physically challenged and her family found it difficult to find a match for her.

The wedding card that sparked rants of 'love jihad'

When Rasika and Asif told their parents about their wish to marry, both the families were happy. They had known for each other for years.

After they got married in a court, Rasika’s father Prasad Adgaonkar, a well-off jeweler  decided to hold a social wedding function as per the Hindu rituals and celebrate it with his family and friends. He booked a hotel for the function and was going to sent printed cards to the invitees.

In the meanwhile the wedding card was leaked – possibly from the printing press or some Adgoankar’s relatives – and was widely circulated on whatsapp. People made nasty comments about it being ‘love jihad.’

“I can’t tell you the kind of pressures that came on us,” Prasad told television channels. The families had to cancel the function.

Rasika told mediapersons that she was “saddened by peoples’ comments and reactions on her marriage.”

Asif said they loved each other and religion never came between them. Rasika’s family said they didn’t want to escalate tension by going to the police and have heeded the advice of some elders to cancel the function.

The good news is that the two families are standing by the couple.