Mother of Three Converts to Marry Class 12 Student in UP
UP Woman Converts to Marry Class 12 Student Amid Anti-Conversion Law Spotlight
A 30-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha district converted to Hinduism and married a Class 12 student in a temple ceremony on Wednesday, triggering public debate and legal scrutiny under the state’s stringent anti-conversion law.
The Unconventional Union: From Shabnam to Shivani
The woman, identified as Shabnam, is now known as Shivani following her religious conversion. According to local police officials, she has been married twice before and is the mother of three children. Shivani married an 18-year-old named Shiva, a Class 12 student from the same district, in a temple ceremony that was attended by his family.
Circle Officer Deep Kumar Pant confirmed the incident to the press, adding that no formal legal complaints had been filed as of now. The police are, however, reviewing the case in light of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.
A Look at Shivani’s Past
According to reports, Shivani’s life has involved several personal upheavals:
- Her first marriage was to a man in Meerut, which eventually ended in divorce.
- She later married Taufiq, a resident of Saidanwali village, who suffered a severe disability after a road accident in 2011.
- In recent months, she developed a relationship with Shiva, a local student, and formally divorced Taufiq last week.
Following her divorce, Shivani converted to Hinduism, assumed a new name, and went ahead with her third marriage—this time to a man 12 years her junior.
Family Reactions and Social Sentiment
While the story has raised eyebrows on social media and among local residents, Shiva’s family has expressed support for the union. His father, Dataram Singh, told local media:
“We support our son’s decision. If both are happy, we are happy. We only hope they live together peacefully.”
So far, there has been no public protest or FIR registered against the couple, and the local police have maintained a neutral stance, pending further investigation.
The Legal Context: UP’s Anti-Conversion Law
Uttar Pradesh’s Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 prohibits religious conversions carried out through misrepresentation, coercion, fraud, or marriage. The law has been controversial, with several interfaith unions and conversions being legally challenged under its provisions.
In a 2023 judgment, the Allahabad High Court ruled that the Act is designed to protect individual religious freedom and preserve secularism. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal stated:
“The Constitution provides for individual rights to profess and practice religion, but it does not confer a collective right to convert others.”
The ruling also emphasized the need to ensure that conversions are voluntary and transparent, especially in the context of marriage.
Public Debate: Social Norms vs. Personal Freedom
This latest case from Amroha has reignited debates over
- Age disparity in relationships
- Informed consent and legal adulthood
- The role of religious conversion in personal life decisions
With the woman being 30 and her new husband just 18, some legal experts have pointed out that the case may raise questions about capacity to consent, although the age of majority in India is 18 for men and women.
Critics argue that such unions often escape scrutiny when involving individuals from the same religion. However, the additional layer of religious conversion before marriage in a sensitive legal landscape like UP’s makes the issue more complex.