Mass marriages for poor Muslims in AP

Hyderabad, Oct 22: After successfully performing marriages for Hindu couples through the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the Andhra Pradesh Government on Wednesday, Oct 22 conducted marriages of poor Muslim brides and grooms as an innovative initiative. Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, attending the marriages at the Haj House, told the members of the community that his government was fully committed to protect their interests.

''At no point of time, you will feel that this is not your government,'' he said.

Observing that many families were pushed into a debt trap after performing marriages of their children, he said the government had stressed on the scheme only to reduce the financial strain.

The government would soon perform mass marriages for poor Christian girls also, he said.

Stating Muslims in the State were feeling fully secure, Dr Reddy claimed soon after coming to power his government had initiated series of measures for the welfare of the Muslims,including reservation in government jobs and education.

The government, besides meeting the marriage expenditure, gifted the newly-wedded couples household articles and a tailoring machine.

In all, marriages were performed for 196 couples in the State, including 44 in Hyderabad.

UNI