MP Woman Forced By Family To Undergo Degrading Purification Ritual After Marrying Dalit Man

MP Woman Forced By Family To Undergo Degrading Purification Ritual After Marrying Dalit Man

Despite the progress we have made as a society, it is so disturbing when there is news of some type of caste-based discrimination. As much as we’d like to believe that we have moved past this social evil, that is sadly untrue. Almost every day we hear news of inter-caste conflicts. I am certain a lot of you must have had personal experiences or have witnessed these subtle signs of disparity. Issues against inter-caste marriages have been a major source of familial conflict and unfortunately, crime too. This was something this MP woman had to face as she was forced to undergo “purification” for marrying a Dalit man.

The 24-year-old woman from Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district was allegedly forced by her family to take a dip in the Narmada river and cut her hair as a part of a “purification” ritual for marrying a Dalit man. The woman belongs to OBC and she married a 27-year-old man from a Scheduled Caste on March 11, 2020. However, her family found out about the marriage in December 2020 after she decided to start living with him.

Also Read: Everything You Need To Know About The Unnao Dalit Girls’ Case: Two Cremated, Third Fights For Her Life

On January 10, 2021, the woman’s father filed a missing person’s report at Chopna Police Station. After this, the police found her and took her back to her family. The woman who was studying in a nursing college in Berul was moved to a hostel in March of this year. Months after, her family took her to the Sethani Ghat of River Narmada for a purification ritual. According to Hindustan Times, the woman claims that “I was not aware of this ritual, but later my family members told me that I had been purified for marrying a Dalit,” the woman continued, “Now, they want me to remarry a man of my community. On October 28, I came from the hostel to Betul to file a police complaint.”

The woman’s husband has also accused the family of threatening and pressuring him with dire consequences if he does not divorce her. Police Superintendent Simala Prasad stated that “We are investigating the matter and trying to verify the claims of the woman.” He also mentioned that the local outpost of the village has been asked to ascertain the couple’s safety and well-being. No arrests have been made yet.

In 2021, it is disheartening to see families go above and beyond just to maintain “purity” within their caste or bloodline; especially at the cost of their children’s happiness and well-being. Seeing any human as “impure” or lesser than is the foundation of disparity within the society, out of which India has yet to emerge.

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Priyadarshini Malavia

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