Indian women who got married to Arab Sheikhs and their children have raised their voice for protection of their rights. They complain that Arab Sheikhs neither pay any maintenance to them nor are they included as their heir as is applicable under Islamic laws (Shariah).
Arab Sheikhs' India Visits
Arab Sheikhs have long been visiting India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh where they get married to teenage girls. After marriage to these Sheikhs, most girls fall victim to unpredictable situations. Usually, they are left behind by these Sheikhs in the country these girls belong to, without divorcing them.
Wrong Attitude
Under the circumstances, these girls, for want of divorce, cannot get married again nor any maintenance is given by the Sheikhs for upbringing their children. Most of such girls come from poor families whose parents because of financial compulsion or for being unable to find a suitable boy in the locality get their daughters married to Arab Sheikh's who usually are much older than the girls, either lured by money or due to helplessness. Thus, the parents are responsible for the plight of their daughters.
These Sheikhs, after getting married to girls much younger to them, stay here for some time. Consequently, children are born to them and some do look after and pay for the upbringing of the children born out of the wedlock. Once, however, the Sheikh returns to his country, he forgets about the wife and the children he left behind in the subcontinent. They do not even pay anything for their maintenance. These ill-fated women cannot even imagine to get citizenship of the country their husbands belong to. Some Sheikhs do take with them their wives whom they married during their stay in the sub-continent, but they are kept under deplorable conditions. Most of them are forced to work as housemaids while others are sent back to their home after some years.
As far as India is concerned, several such incidents have been reported from Hyderabad. There are also reports from major cities like Mumbai where Arab Sheikhs got married to girls as young as their daughters. Now these women and children of these Sheikhs have raised their voice to get their due and rights, as allowed under the "Islamic laws."
In a program telecast by a TV channel, "Sahara Samay", several women who had been deserted by the Sheikhs, and their children, participated. They made a fervent appeal to various Arab Governments that they should be given share from the property and assets of their husbands and fathers. Forty youth, fathered by Arab Sheikhs, have also approached the court. DNA test was also carried on them in Dubai. On their return, they use diplomatic sources to get the dues. Muslim clerics, who participated in that program, have also supported their cause and maintained that not only should these persons be given a share in their father's assets but the concerned government should also grant citizenship to them. The clerics have also called upon the Indian Government to extend all possible support to them.
Attention Required
It is not clear what stand the Indian Government has in such cases. Yet, as far as the demand made by these deserted women and their progenies are concerned, they are fully justified. It is the responsibility of the Indian Government and also that of social and religious organizations to extend a helping hand to these persons and view the issue philanthropically.
At the same time, there is need of creating awakening among the people that they should avoid getting their daughters married to Arab Sheikhs for lust of money or under some other compulsion. They should ensure that their daughters are not exploited. The governments in the Arab countries should direct their citizens that they should refrain from entering into any such unequal marriage.
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