IAS Officers Tina Dabi, Athar Khan File For Divorce Two Years After Marriage

IAS officers Tina Dabi and Athar Khan, who had tied the knot in 2018, have filed for divorce in Rajasthan, according to latest news reports. The divorce has been filed with mutual consent in a family court in Jaipur, since both officers belong to the Rajasthan cadre and are based in the pink city. Some time ago, their marriage had come under scrutiny when Dabi reportedly removed 'Khan' from her surname on social media, while Khan himself had unfollowed her account on Instagram.

While the duo had been congratulated upon their marriage by most in 2018, some had termed their interfaith union as "love jihad." Coincidentally, Dabi and Khan are headed for divorce at a time when the issue of "love jihad" is under newfound public glare, with BJP governments in major states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh having declared that it will soon be a crime punishable by law. Read more on that here.

Who Are Tina Dabi and Athar Khan?

Tina Dabi and Athar Khan were both toppers of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination held in 2015, with Dabi having secured first rank and Khan second. According to India Today, the two had grown in proximity during their IAS training post clearing the civil services exam, and consequently decided to get married. Theirs was a momentous union surrounded by loud chatter in the media since Dabi, a Dalit woman, was marrying a Muslim man.

The IAS duo had tied the knot in 2018 in Kashmir, where Khan hails from. Congratulations had poured in for them from all quarters of the country, including top political leaders. Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader, had marked their marriage as an "inspiration to all Indians in this age of growing intolerance and communal hatred."

Hindu Mahasabha, a right-wing group, had however openly opposed Dabi and Khan's marriage, labelling it an instance of "love jihad." According to reports, the outfit had gone so far as to demand that Khan convert from Islam to Hinduism, if he was to marry Dabi. A leader from the group was quoted saying, "This decision of your family will promote love jihad and thus the wedding should not take place at any cost. If the couple is still willing to tie the knot, then ghar-wapsi of Khan should be done and a wedding should take place only after he agrees to get converted."