The Freethought Party of India (FPI) has expressed deep concern and shock at the show cause notice that the ADM-cum-Additional Registrar of Societies, Bhubaneswar, has served on the secretary of AMOFOI on September 9, asking why the organization should not be de-registered as it has been violating the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 while conducting the marriages.

The AMOFOI organisation has been in existence since December 10, 1980 and is purely and frankly non-religious, non-communal whose activities are not confined to the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955.

Besides, opposing caste system and promoting casteless, priest-less love marriages, AMOFOI founder  B Ramchandra CST Voltaire has been campaigning for introduction of the mixed PR system of election of the German model, establishment of prayerless quality English medium schools and family planning centres at the Gram Panchayat level throughout rural India and at the level of urban wards of municipal administration. Also, the AMOFOI has been saving the lives of “runaway” couples from honour killing.

Moreover AMOFOI has never been mandated to nor has it ever asked to follow the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 while it conducts the marriage of runaway pair of lovers. So, where is the legitimate basis to threaten AMOFOI of de-registering, asked Voltaire?.

He urged  Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy to intervene in the matter and see that the show cause notice served on the secretary of AMOFOI is withdrawn  in the earliest.