Lucknow: For her wedding, 24-year-old Neha Prajapati, a UPSC aspirant from Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur district received a rather unusual present from her father — a bulldozer.
Her father, Parsram Prajapati, who lives in Deogaon village of Hamirpur district’s Sumerpur block, is aware that this isn’t normal practice, but he has his reasons.
“People give cars to their daughters at their wedding, but I felt it would have led to them shelling out more money for fuel, more expenses of petrol or diesel. This (bulldozer) will be their source of livelihood,” Parsram told ThePrint, adding that it will help her generate income if she doesn’t get a job.
Parsram, who retired as a subedar in the Indian Army, shot to limelight after videos and photographs of the bulldozer gifted by him to his daughter Neha went viral on social media Friday.
Neha, who holds a B.A. (Hons), is preparing to appear in the UPSC examination.
On 15 December she tied the knot with Indian Navy sailor Yogendra alias Vikas Prajapati who then, along with his bride, also brought the decorated bulldozer gifted by his in-laws to his home in Saukher, also in Hamirpur.
The newlyweds belong to middle-class families and the groom’s father owns 10 bigha land. ThePrint reached Swamideen Chakravarty, Neha’s father-in-law, who confirmed that the bulldozer has already been put to work.
“This will lead to generation of employment and income since we will employ more people, like an operator,” Chakravarty said.
Speaking to ThePrint, Parsram, who himself owns a couple of bulldozers, said: “Any father wants his daughter to be happy. We raised our daughter with love and care and now, when she is married, we felt that she shouldn’t have anything lacking even in her married life. She is preparing for UPSC, but even if she doesn’t get a job, this gift (bulldozer) will ensure that she is never short on money.”
Hamirpur is witnessing several construction-related works and has made news for the illegal sand mining being done on the banks of Betwa river.
“I retired from the Indian Army in 2018 and bought a JCB (excavator) post-retirement. After some time, I bought another JCB. I realised that even after deducting the labour fees of the driver and other expenses, it helps earn around Rs 60,000-70,000 per month. There are several pipeline-laying and road-laying works going on in Hamirpur and I thought that if the couple also gets such income, it will help them earn a sufficient amount for sustenance,” said Parsram.
Meanwhile, several social media users are sharing videos and photographs of the decorated bulldozer gifted to the couple.
In UP, the bulldozer, of late, has become a symbol of the governance model of the Yogi Adityanath-led government and is identified with quick delivery of justice. The government has claimed to use it against mafias, criminals, riot accused, rape accused and on buildings that have come up illegally. Some observers identify it as the government’s tool against the minority community too.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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