Hindus seek marriage law

ISLAMABAD, March 31: The scheduled caste Hindu community on Wednesday called upon the government to legislate a marriage registration law for them as without which they remained deprived of many basic rights. Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, president of the Scheduled Caste Rights Movement Pakistan (SRMP) Guru Sukh Dev and Ramaish Jae Pal threatened to stage a sit-in in front of parliament if the government failed to protect their basic rights particularly that of marriage registration within two months. They also announced their decision to launch a nationwide signature campaign for Hindu marriage registration. Flanked by representatives of ActionAid and Hindu minority women hailing from different parts of the country, the SRMP leaders regretted the government`s failure to end injustice against poor women of Hindu community. They alleged that due to the absence of a marriage registration law, they were being discriminated against in getting the national identity card. Sumetra Devi from Khairpur said she came to Islamabad on Wednesday along with her husband Babu Lal and wanted to get a room in different hotels but they refused as the couple had no marriage certificate. "The other members of SCRM told the guest house administration that both were husband and wife and finally we got a room in Jinnah Super Market," she said. Ramaish Jae Pal also narrated the story of Sainti Mai from Sukkhar who applied for an ID card but Nadra sought proof of their marriage. Upon this, she contacted a local lawyer who managed an affidavit stating that her marriage was held with that person. "One cannot produce a marriage registration certificate in case of divorce, we are not entitled to get national identity card. We are denied the right to vote as well. Despite having Supreme Court`s suo motu ruling of November 23, 2009, in our favour, no measures have been taken to introduce legal provisions for our right," said Sangeeta Devi. It may be mentioned that National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) rejected one Parmasry Mai`s request for a marriage certificate on the ground that there was no mechanism or legislation to issue such a certificate to a Hindu. After the matter was reported in the perss, the chief justice of Pakistan took suo motu action on November 23, 2009, and directed the government to legislate for Hindu marriage registration. The apex court also ordered Nadra to issue a CNIC to the Hindu woman within 15 days. Shami Mai hailing from Rahim Yar Khan said: "In case of separation or domestic violence, a Hindu woman cannot register a complaint with the police or any other government department as they demand documents to prove their marriage."She said Hindu families were also facing a lot of problems while traveling from one place to another within the country. Aita Vadhani said Hindu women were facing much more problems compared to their counterparts in Muslim and Christian communities. Shanktala Devi said absence of marriage registration law had also deprived Hindu women of their right to property.