Polygamy in India
Polygamy has existed in India since the Vedic period and is still practiced in the 21st century.[1] Until 1955 Hindu Marriage Act there was no prohibition for polygamy for Hindus and other non-Muslims in India,[2] According to the 1961 census (the last census to record such data), polygamy was actually less prevalent among Indian Muslims (5.7%) than among several other religious groups.[3] Incidence was highest among Adivasis (15.25%) and Buddhists (7.9%); Hindus, by comparison, had an incidence of 5.8%.[4][5]. Although there are movements to end polygamy,[6] some Muslims seek to preserve the practice.[7]
Conversion to Islam for polygamy[edit]
There have been many incidents of non-Muslim men converting to Islam solely with the purpose of practicing polygamy legally. For example, actor Dharmendra has been reported to have converted to Islam so that he could legally marry actress Hema Malini as his second wife.[8]. In December 2008, a controversy arose when the then Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana, Chander Mohan, and Anuradha Bali, the former Assistant Advocate General of Haryana, converted to Islam adopting the names Chand Mohammad and Fiza, so that Mohan could marry Bali as his second wife. Such incidents have raised concerns over the use of Islam for polygamy.[9]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Polygamy: Is this a new trend?". 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ↑ "THE HINDU MARRIAGE ACT, 1955". 1955-05-18. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ↑ A, Divya (13 September 2009). "Bigamy: An issue of one too many". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ↑ "Communal Politics: Facts Versus Myths". Ram Puniyani. p.148. ISBN 0761996672.
- ↑ "Mullahs on the Mainframe: Islam and Modernity Among the Daudi Bohras". Jonah Blank. p.78. ISBN 0226056767.
- ↑ "End polygamy, Muslim woman pleads with SC -India-The Times of India". 2001-05--12. Retrieved 2009-03-09. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ Sebastian, Don (2008-11-12). "DNA: India: Kerala Muslim cleric vows to preserve polygamy". Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ↑ PTI (2004-04-19). "Case against Dharmendra". The Hindu. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
- ↑ "Chand-Fiza talaq: Ulema now talk of screening". 2009-03-15. Retrieved 2009-05-28.