A Dalit bride in Rajasthan was forced to dismount from a mare during her wedding procession, sparking outrage and protests. The incident has led to demands for a fair investigation and action against those responsible.
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A Dalit groom's wedding procession was held under heavy police protection in Rajasthan's Ajmer district after the bride's family expressed concerns about potential opposition from upper castes. Around 200 police personnel ensured the safety of the traditional 'Bindoli' ceremony, where the groom Vijay Regar rode a mare to his bride Aruna Khorwal's village. The bride's family had approached the authorities after anticipating possible resistance from locals. The police presence prevented any incidents and ensured the wedding procession took place peacefully.
The incident took place on Monday afternoon in Chadasana village when the accused persons also hurled casteist abuses at the Dalit groom, Vikas Chavda, while he was riding a horse as part of his wedding procession, a Mansa police station official said on Tuesday.
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So far, 15 wedding ceremonies have been held in the district under the initiative and the step has been welcomed by the upper caste community, they said.
'There are legions of unemployed degree holders across rural and semi-urban belts in Maharashtra. Now, they aren't finding brides.' 'This issue has now snowballed into a social crisis. In 2014 and 2019, they had voted for the BJP.'
A Dalit All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLA's marriage to a 19-year-old Brahmin woman has met with staunch opposition from her father, who after a scuttled suicide attempt, alleged that the legislator abducted his daughter, a charge denied by both the bride and groom.
The Thakurs opposed the wedding procession by Dalits .
'The BJP alliance needs to handle the Maratha quota issue skilfully and address its root cause, which is agrarian distress. Then there is stalled industrialisation. If these issues are addressed, caste fault lines would wither away. But, this is next to impossible in a short span of three-four months.'
16-30 people have been arrested and more arrests were likely by Tuesday evening.
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