Amid Love Jihad debate, here are some Congress, BJP leaders who entered into interfaith marriage

While “love jihad’ debate is raging across the country, we bring you some politicians who entered wedlock with women of different religions.

Sachin Pilot and Sara Pilot
Former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot married former union minister Farooq Abdullah's daughter Sara Abdullah. Sara and Pilot fell in love when they pursued higher education abroad and in 2004 they married despite strong objections especially coming from Farooq Abdullah as they are Kashmiri Muslims. Now it seems the volatile situation has eased. The couple have two children.

Sushil Kumar Modi and Jessy George
Former Deputy CM of Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi a full-time RSS activist then had met Jessy, a practicing Catholic from Mumbai with roots in Kerala and was doing her Ph.D in History in Delhi. Their friendship blossomed into love and Modi who was also an ABVP leader had consulted with senior leaders and finally tied the knot in 1986 August. The couple have two sons.

Dinesh Gundu Rao and Tabussaum Rao
AICC Tamil Nadu in-charge and former KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao, a Brahmin by caste and son of former CM Gundu Rao first met Tabassum at Wilson Garden in the South part of Bengaluru in 1980's. Rao from RT Nagar had to travel all the way to Basavanagudi for his Engineering at a private college and this is when he saw Tabassaum who was a JNC College student. Initially, they were friends and later confessed their love. Rao's mother and Tabassuam's family were against it, however, the couple went ahead and got their marriage registered in late 1990's and the couple have two children.

Manish Tiwari and Naaznin Shafa
Former union minister Manish Tiwari and Naanin Shafa is another love story in Indian politics that resurfaces every Valentines day. Naaznin is a Parsi while Manish hails from a Sikh background. Tiwari was NSUI president and Naaznin was heading the Bombay wing when in one of the meetings way back in 1989, their chemistry clicked and both confessed their love to each other. After her graduation Naazinin began working for Air India and Manish began his law practice and in 1996 both got married and have a daughter.

Shahnawaz Hussain  and Renu Sharma
This is a typical Bollywood kind of love story where a teenager falls in love with a girl in the bus who travels to work daily. Union Minister Shahnawaz Hussain is from an aristocrat family background but a hardcore follower of BJP stalwart Uma Bharathi, while his wife was a government school teacher in Delhi in 1990s. Their love was all over in Delhi circles and Renu's family who are Pakistani Brahmins and migrated to Delhi, also liked Hussain but the religion was in the way. However, it was Uma Bharathi who stood by them as she ensured the couple came together despite the objections from the family. In 1994 they had a court marriage and have two children. It is reported that their parents accepted them after the birth of their children.