‘Not a minor’: CPI(M), Kerala police defend Monalisa's marriage amid NCST findings

Thiruvanathapuram: CPI(M) leaders in Kerala, who are likely to be in the dock over the marriage of Kumbh Mela viral girl Monalisa Bhosle, are defending their stand reiterating that the girl was not minor at the time of marriage.

The state police is also maintaining that the Aadhaar card produced by the girl was found to be genuine and she had attained the age of 18 at the time of her marriage on March 11.

A finding of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes that as per hospital records Bhosle did not attain the age of 18 has put the Kerala police as well as CPI(M) leaders and authorities who helped her marry her lover against the wish of her parents in a tight spot. 

While CPI(M) leaders had highlighted the inter-faith marriage as the 'real Kerala story', various Hindu organisations had alleged that it was an instance of 'love jihad' and criticised the CPI(M) for supporting it.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan told  reporters on Sunday that as per records produced by the girl's father itself the girl was not a minor.  Hence the CPI(M) supported the marriage.

Govindan as well as state general education minister and CPI(M)leader V Sivankutty and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim attended the wedding held at a temple at Arumanoor on the suburbs of Kerala  on March 11.

The Kerala police is also maintaining that as per the Aadhaar card of the girl her date of birth is 2008 Jan 1 and hence she attained the age of 18 in 2026 March. Hence she was legally eligible to take a decision.

Bhosle,  who went viral during the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela where she was selling fancy ornaments, came down to Kerala for film shooting. On March 11 she along with her lover Farman Khan approached the city police and said that her father was trying to forcefully take her back to their native place Madhya Pradesh. Subsequently the two got married.

However, with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes finding that the girl was born on December 30, 2009 as per hospital records and hence she is still a minor. The commission also sought a report from Kerala police. The Madhya Pradesh police also registered a case under sections of the POCSO Act against Farman Khan.

Various outfits have now demanded that the CPI(M)leaders who facilitated the marriage should be also booked under relevant sections of POCSO Act.