Yogi Adityanath govt to hold mass wedding of poor Muslim girls

New Delhi: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi with Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath during their meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. PTI Photo(PTI3_21_2017_000029B)

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is planning to organise mass weddings for poor Muslim girls in the state.

"Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given his consent to mass weddings of poor girls belonging to minority communities and we have included it in the 100 days' programme of the state government," Minister of State for Minorities Affairs Mohsin Raza said told PTI on Thursday.

Muslims account for nearly 20 per cent of the state's population and a lion's share of the scheme will go to girls from that community.

A proposal for the same is being prepared, the MoS said, adding that besides extending monetary assistance of Rs 20,000 to each girl, the government will bear other expenses for the mass wedding.

He said the idea of mass weddings for girls from minority communities, which would also include Sikhs and Christians, has come from the chief minister himself.