The mass weddings are quite common as part of the social work either through NGOs or through State government sponsored one. As per the reports from the dailies, last month a mass marriage comprising of 151 girls had been conducted in Madhya Pradesh on June 26. Nevertheless, this virtuous and morally excellent act in in the State, has turned into a vile aspersion; the reason being all the brides were reported to undergo virginity test before the wedlock.

In Rajya Sabha, on 13th. June this has ‘evoked strong condemnation from non-BJP parties even Chief Minister Shivraj Sing Chouhan denied such tests were carried out’. All that the Chief Minister Chouhan could accept was that such tests were part of routine for 151 girls; to be married under the ‘Mukhya Mantri Kanyadan Yojna’.

The mass wedding took place at Shadol, 600 km east of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, on 26 June 2009. He said that it was ‘not a virginity test, just a procedural medical examination’. More shocking to the news were that alleging remarks that the tribal girls are subjected to undergo.

virginity test to be eligible for various government schemes. Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has come down heavily on the matter describing it as,’as shameful, an insult to women and a throw back to the 18th. Century’.

It might necessitate the department concerned to consider only the virgins should be married and non-confirming to virginity to be declined the courtesy of mass wedding. Practically speaking, even those who get normal marriages, never think of virginity at all. Has any man asked his would be wife, ‘Are you a virgin?’. Such ideas are utopian and are given to impractical schemes leading to imperfection of nuptial bliss.

Many marriages stand on quagmire pathetically unsound, broken on sheer qualms and fears on fidelity lacking mutual trust. Once married, the wife becomes the exclusive property of love, vis-à-vis with the husband. Many successful marriages are there even after failed romance, choosing a new partner. There are couples openly discussing about the past failed events. There are virgin boys marrying widowed girls; not necessarily a widower to marry a widow.

If the virginity test is to confirm whether the bride is pregnant, what good it has in the mass marriage?. Such tests hold no water.
Those who rule the nation should not play with the social liberty and rights of the people. It is better an unwed pregnant to get married soon than to be an unwed mother.

Let us not have virginity test either in mass marriage or in individual marriage. It is senseless.

“Love and marriage, love and marriage
Go together like horse and carriage
This I tell ya,brother,
You can’t have one without the other”

(Sammy Cahn-1913-93-“Love and Marriage”)