Lucknow: The Bareilly police Thursday provided security to the family of a Dalit man who has in videos on social media claimed threat to his life due to his inter-caste marriage with the daughter of the BJP MLA from Bareilly.
The action came a week after Sakshi Kumar Mishra (23), daughter of BJP MLA Rajesh Kumar Mishra, and her husband Ajitesh Kumar (29) filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking security.
“The court will hear the matter on Monday (next week) since the couple could not appear in court today due to security reasons. The case has been filed against Government of UP, Bareilly SSP, SHO of Bareilly Cantt and the girl’s father,” said Vikas Rana, legal counsel for Sakshi.
Shortly after their wedding at a temple in Prayagraj on 4 July, the couple had sought legal help and the petition was filed in the HC the next day.
Rana told ThePrint that he had arranged accommodation for them but the MLA’s men managed to track them down. “Fortunately, the couple managed to escape from there.”
“Local district police has approached me about providing security to the couple and me,” said Rana.
‘Let us live peacefully’
On Wednesday, the couple made a cry for help in a set of videos released on social media where they alleged that the BJP MLA, his brother and their associates were baying for the couple’s blood as Sakshi, a Brahmin, married a Dalit man.
In two videos, the couple claimed that the BJP’s Bithari Chainpur MLA Rajesh Kumar Mishra and his associates were trying to hunt them down.
Asking her father and uncle to accept her marriage, Sakshi said in the video, “Please let us live peacefully”. She also alleged that her MLA father had sent thugs to chase her.
“We are tired of being on the run. Our life is under threat.”
Bareilly's Bithri Chainpur BJP MLA Rajesh Mishra alias Pappu Bhartaul's daughter making appeal for her safety in the aftermath of her intercaste marriage against wishes of the family. According to the girl, MLA father's goons are after life of couple.
Listen in. pic.twitter.com/ptrUUPVVfK
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 10, 2019
In the videos that created a storm on social media, Sakshi also appealed to her father to stop harassing her husband’s relatives “who have done no wrong”.
Also read: Inter-caste marriages are good for health of Indians. That’s what DNA testing tells us
Police clueless but ‘no threat’ from MLA
In a written statement Thursday, MLA Rajesh Kumar Mishra said that his daughter was an adult and she had the right to take her decisions.
“Neither I nor my associates or family members have threatened to kill anyone. My family and I are busy with work. I am working for the people and I am conducting a membership drive for the party. There is no threat to anyone from me.”
ThePrint reached the MLA for comment but he remained unavailable.
‘Please change your mindset’
In the video message, Sakshi told her father, “You live peacefully and continue your (work in) politics. I want to be happy and free. In future, if anything happens to me or Abhi (her husband) or anyone from his family, my father and Vicky Bhartaul (her brother) and Rajeev Rana will be responsible for it.”
“Please, Papa, change your mindset. Abhi and his family are humans, not some animals. They are good people and I will be happy with them,” said Sakshi.
In the second released video, the couple claimed that “several people” were chasing them.
In another video, the couple can be heard talking about threats and seek help and protection from Bareilly SSP. pic.twitter.com/c8uW9NF4PD
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 10, 2019
“They reached the hotel where we had been staying. We managed to escape from there. Their plan is to kill us in order to save their respect… since I belong to a Dalit family,” said Kumar.
Sakshi added that both of them would “definitely be murdered” if the goons manage to get hold of the couple.
Also read: India’s caste problem has a silver lining: urbanisation, and inter-caste marriage
Im Sad n broken how people cant see anything above caste. I am facing the same situation. ☹️
It is not love marriage,it is simply sabotaging
The positive impact of social media. Courageous girl. Well done. This Mishra chap should be taken into custody for intimidation. and thrown out of the party.