Circular on dalit wedding notice withdrawn in MP

Bhopal: Ujjain district administration in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday withdrew a “controversial” circular issued recently by a local sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) asking the panchayat bodies in his jurisdiction to inform on the marriages in dalit families in their areas in advance to avoid any untoward incidents, following protests by a section of society.

Ujjain district collector Manish Singh said the particular circular issued by Mohitpur SDM Jagjdish Gome was withdrawn and would be amended appropriately.

The circular was issued to arrange security for the marriage functions in the dalit families in the region in the wake of the alleged unsavoury incident of pulling down of dalit groom from a horse by the local upper caste people in Nuggurdiya village in the district recently, a senior district officer told this newspaper on Saturday. However, the circular has drawn ire of the dalit communities in the locality forcing the district administration to withdraw it.

Several dalit outfits in the district staged protest marches demanding withdrawal of the circular regretting that it belittled their communities. Besides, they described it an unnecessary encroachment in their affairs.

In Nuggurdiya village, the dalit groom was allegedly forced to get down from his horse he was riding while going in a procession to the bride’s house for marriage a couple of months ago.