Dalit groom takes out wedding procession under police watch in MP

My family was told that if we take out marriage procession and I ride a horse on my wedding, then within one year we will have to leave the village.

Neemuch: A Dalit groom in Madhya Pradesh’s Sarsi village in Neemuch rode a horse and took out a wedding procession as 100 policemen stood guard giving him protection from goons.

Dalit groom Rahul Meghwal said, “My family was told that if we take out marriage procession and I ride a horse on my wedding, then within one year we will have to leave the village. Then we spoke to the police asked for protection. The police and the officers came and along with everyone we got the marriage procession out.” After receiving threats from the goons, Fakirchand Meghwal, the groom’s father had written to the Collector requesting him for protection of his son’s wedding. Following this, the Collector had directed the police to provide protection for the family.

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“The police force from three police stations took out the marriage procession with pomp by playing DJ. Police officers including Tehsildar, SDOP, SDM were present in the entire village during the marriage ceremony”, informed the Police.

The wedding took place on Thursday, a day after India’s 73rd Republic Day and the groom was seen riding the horse carrying a book of Bhimrao Ambedkar Sahib’s, the Constitution of India which guarantees equal rights to all citizens of India.

KL Dangi, in charge of Manasa Police Station, said, “The family feared that there might be a protest while taking out the procession, on which all the arrangements were made by the police and the administration and the Bindoli was taken out peacefully in which the villagers also cooperated. Everyone should coexist peacefully.” Sunil Kumar from Bhim Army Member said, “We were informed by the groom Rahul Meghwal that they have come to know that if the marriage procession is taken out, the people of the village will stop it due to caste issues. The upper castes refuse to accept any Dalit boy or tribal boy taking out the marriage procession sitting on a horse.”