Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said if a young man and woman like each other and decide to get married, irrespective of their caste or faith, no one can prevent the union.

Vijayan said there has always been opposition to such marriages from parents of either side or both families, but that has not stopped such marriages.

The CM was responding to reporters' queries in connection with a prominent Islamic scholar on Wednesday 'accusing' the ruling CPI(M) and its youth outfits of promoting inter-caste marriages and mixed culture in the name of secularism.

Vijayan said that neither the SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M), nor the DYFI, the Left party's youth outfit, were working as "inter-caste marriage bureaus".

"Such changes are happening in the state in accordance with the times and no organisation or the government is doing anything to bring about these changes," he said.

"If a young man and woman like each other and decide to get married, no one in the world can prevent that. If someone thinks they can prevent it, they need to realise it is not possible," he added.

Nasar Faizi Koodathayi, a prominent leader of influential Islamic body Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyathul Qutba Committee, had a day ago alleged that the inter-caste marriages were part of a "vicious political plan" of the ruling Left party.

He had urged 'mahal committees' -- which roughly refers to local Islamic organisations -- to be extra vigilant against the alleged trend of political parties and leaders supporting and promoting the marriage of Muslim women with non-Muslim persons.

He had made the controversial remarks while speaking at a programme in Kozhikode district of the state.

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