India: Groom demands dowry during wedding in Bihar
Threatens to take back his wedding procession if his demands are not
Patna: A video of a groom brazenly demanding dowry at the time of his wedding has gone viral, drawing wide protests from the masses online.
The man is heard repeatedly justifying his dowry demands on camera and even threatening to bring back his wedding procession if his demands were not fulfilled then and there even though asking for dowry remains a punishable offence in India. The incident took place at Chappalpur village located in north Bihar.
In the undated video, the crown-wearing groom seated beside the bride apparently during the garland-exchange ceremony is heard saying that he was promised hefty cash and gold jewellery as dowry but his would-be father-in-law didn’t fulfill the promise.
“Rs100,000 in cash, a gold chain and a gold ring are still due. I want all these things right now if the wedding has to be solemnized. I will go back with the wedding procession if my dowry demands are not met,” threatens the groom who is a government servant and son of a teacher.
When a person shooting the video reminds him about how seeking dowry is a punishable offence, the groom tries to justify it saying dowry is a known practice and everyone had been taking dowry. “You people came to know about this since I was not paid and there was a commotion. If I was paid as promised, none would have come to know about this,” the groom says.
According to the groom, before leaving home for the wedding, he had already alerted the bride’s family to make arrangements for the remaining dowry items and at that he was told everything was ready but on reaching here, they were making various excuses.
Gold ring and chain
He even states that if the would-be in-laws were not in a position to meet the dowry demands, they should have found someone to suit their status. “Why aim for people with a government job as a groom?” he mocks.
To which the bride sitting beside him counters the groom saying her parents had given him almost everything promised as dowry. “Only Rs100,000 is left and that amount will be paid soon,” the bride says.
The groom instantly intervenes, saying “a gold chain and a gold ring have also not been paid”. When the bride says, these items will be paid right during the solemnisation of wedding rituals, the groom wants them instantly.
“[I] won’t wait for the future for these dowry items to be given. I want them now and here lest I will go back home with the wedding procession without completing the rituals,” the groom threatens.
The incident has triggered massive online protests with the Twitteratis reacting angrily and seeking legal action against the dowry-seeking groom whose father incidentally is a school teacher.
“Must log a police complaint against the man and he does’t deserve the girl,” reacted Tanmoy Ghosh. Another said: “Ask the bride to punch on his nose and beat in front of entire public and then hand him over to police. Now that she have the video proving dowry demand. Also if this parasite is actually a government servant, his job should be revoked.”
Another Twitterati identified as Bharati Muralidhar commented “..feel sorry for the girl besides who’s getting humiliated for not fault of hers...the fellow looks unsteady..better if it’s called off.”
The demand for dowry by a government servant comes amid the Bihar government headed by chief minister Nitish Kumar launching vigorous campaigns against dowry and child marriages — فاث two social evils plaguing the Indian society.
In his address, he has been advising the masses to attend the weddings of those persons who have not taken dowry while also suggesting them to print anti-dowry messages on wedding cards.
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