Over 80% of Indians oppose interfaith marriage, says study

A survey shows that most Indians see themselves as religiously tolerant but are not in favour of interfaith marriage. People across different states in India said that blocking an interfaith marriage was of “high priority” for them. 30,000 people participated in the survey across the country in 17 different languages.

The survey was conducted by Pew Research Center, which is based in Washington DC. Participants were interviewed from 26 different states and union territories of India. 

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The survey suggested that 80% of the Muslims who were interviewed felt that it was important to stop people from their community from marrying people of another religion. About 65% of the Hindus felt the same as Muslims. When asked about the relationship between religious and national identity, Hindus “tend to see their religious identity and Indian national identity as closely intertwined”, reported the BBC.

Almost two-thirds of the Hindus said that it was important to be Hindu to be truly an Indian. The survey found that in spite of most Indians sharing certain beliefs and values, they “often don’t feel they have much in common”. The study said, “Indians simultaneously express enthusiasm for religious tolerance and a consistent preference for keeping their religious communities in segregated spheres. They live together separately”.

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The country’s Special Marriage Act commands a 30-day notice period for interfaith couples. A few Indian states took further steps, introducing laws that ban “unlawful conversion”, which came in response to what is called ‘love jihad’. It is a theory that accuses Muslims of inducing Hindu women for converting them to Islam, reported the BBC.