A young teenage couple were forcefully married by Hindu activists, popularly known as the Bajrang Dal, on the 14th of February, this Valentine’s Day, in Hyderabad.
Six men allegedly forced the couple, who were sitting in the Oxygen Park in Medchal, to get married. The Bajrang Dal also shot a video and posted it immediately on all the social media platforms.
In the video, the boy is seen tying a mangalsutra (a sacred thread worn by Hindu women to signify they are married.) The 6 men congratulated the couple and wished them luck for their married life.
The accused were identified as M. Srihari Chary, who is also a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader, K. Anand, K. Avinash, P. Ashok, B. Suresh Kumar and T. Chandrasekhar.
Soon after the video went viral, the parents of the girl, after watching the video, rushed to her college and then to the park. When they could not locate her, they approached the local police station and filed a complaint against the accused men.
However, Subash Chander, the State Convener of Bajrang Dal, denied their involvement and said, “The activists involved in forcing the couple to get married don’t belong to Bajrang Dal. We have already ordered our activists to stay away from such activities and just create awareness among the people.”
The police registered a case under Section 342 (wrongful confinement,) Section 354 (a Assault with an Intent to Outrage a Woman’s Modesty) and Section 506 (Criminal Intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC.)
The fear of Bajrang Dal is quite common on Valentines Day, especially among young couples. The Bajrang Dal, who are against the celebration of Valentine’s Day, pubbing and detest lovers, warned couples across India, ahead of Valentine’s Day. They further asked the pubs not to provide special offers to couples.
They go around the State and look for couples or even people of opposite genders sitting together, just to get them married forcefully.
It is not the first marriage performed forcefully by the Bajrang Dal. It is a common aspect in States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The Bajrang Dal, which is also famous with the name ‘Monkey Dal,’ gets enormous support from political parties. Parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS,) who follow Hindutva, support the Bajrang Dal leaders.
The leaders of the Bajrang Dal across India wait eagerly for the Valentines Day and harass people in parks, pubs and other public places.
