Some students of the Aligarh Muslim University have planned to host a wedding reception for Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker who got married to AMU alumnus Fahad Ahmad, a Samajwadi Party leader. Amid row over the ‘legality’ of Swara Bhasker’s marriage under Sharia law, the planned fest inside the university campus has stoked a fresh controversy as another section of the students said they don’t approve of any festivity inside the campus. They also said the administration should immediately intervene and cancel any such programme. “If Shaheen Bagh and tukde tukde gang people come inside the campus, anti-India slogans could be raised,” Nadeem Ansari, former vice president of the students’ union, said. Read | Here’s how Swara Bhasker met Fahad Ahmad at a rally, fell in love
“Fahad is an old student. We are still discussing the dates. Today also, we held a discussion. After Fahad returns from the US, we will throw the dawt. Will invite responsible people from society, media will also be welcome,” students’ union former president Fazal Hasan said. About 50-100 people will be invited to the celebration which will either take place at Old Boys’ lodge or the guest house inside the campus, Fazal Hasan said. Read | ‘Swara Bhasker’s marriage legal but unislamic’: Row over Islamic scholar’s tweet
“People do have different opinions. Swara and Fahad got married under Special Marriage Act. They love each other, it’s their personal matter. As friends, we can at least give a dawat and celebrate. This is not my campus, and neither this belongs to any other person. This campus belongs to the university,” Fazal said.
Anyone can love anyone but that does not warrant a celebration inside the university campus, Nadeem Ansari said, protesting. “AMU is an educational institute and such a celebration programme does not suit a university campus. If any such incident takes place, we will protest,” Ansari said.
“It is good that they got married in the court. This marriage is not even valid under Sharia. What is Walima then? There are many restaurants in Aligarh. Go and give dawat there. If Shaheen Bagh and tukde tukde people come here, anti-India slogans could also be raised. And if that happens, the administration will be responsible,” Ansari added.
Swara Bhasker’s engagement with Fahad triggered a debate on social media and the latest take has come from All India Muslim Jamaat president Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi who said Swara Bhasker can not marry Fahad without accepting Islam first.