"No Extravagant" Ceremonies: Maratha Leaders Push For Modest Weddings

NDTV

27-05-2025

Pune:
Prominent families from the Maratha community and politicians on Monday came together to deliberate on a code of conduct aimed at curbing lavish and extravagant weddings, a move coming in the backdrop of suicide by the daughter-in-law of an expelled Maharashtra NCP leader.
Vaishnavi, the daughter-in-law of expelled NCP leader Rajendra Hagawane hanged herself at her marital home in Bavdhan in Pimpri-Chinchwad town of Pune district in western Maharashtra on May 16. Her family has alleged she was harassed for dowry, including a demand for Rs 2 crore to purchase land, by Rajendra Hagawane, a Maratha, and his relatives.
According to her parents, the Hagawane family was given 51 tolas (595 gm) of gold, silver, and an SUV during the wedding, but the harassment allegedly continued. The grand wedding, held at an upscale Pune resort in 2023, saw Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who heads the NCP, handing over the keys of an SUV to the couple.
The Maratha community meeting on a code of conduct for weddings, held in Pune, was attended by several political and social leaders from the community, including Pune city Congress unit president Arvind Shinde, NCP (SP) leaders Ankush Kakde and Chetan Tupe (MLA, Hadapsar), former Pune mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale, former corporator Shrikant Shirole, NCP (SP) city unit president Prashant Jagtap, and Maratha quota activist Rajendra Kondhare.
"The entire community woke up after this tragic incident. Today, we deliberated on how to curb practices seen in big fat weddings. A platform will be formed comprising key community members to take this idea forward," said Mr Shirole.
Several resolutions were passed in the meeting, including a call to shun lavish weddings and encourage modest ceremonies, sensitization of in-laws, especially mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, on treating daughters-in-law with respect and dignity, creating awareness among parents to support their daughters in case of harassment.
Congress leader Arvind Shinde said the community resolved to socially boycott families found harassing their daughters-in-law. "No one will give or take daughters in marriage from such families," he said.
Middle-class families often emulate extravagant weddings of the rich, resulting in financial stress, including property sales and loans, Mr Shinde emphasised.
"We appeal to the community to put an end to such practices," he said.
Former mayor Bhosale said there was a need to sensitize in-laws and encourage them to treat their daughter-in-law as their own daughter.
"Women must be empowered to stand on their own feet," she added.
Daughters-in-law should have confidence that if they are harassed by in-laws, they would get support from their parents, Mr Bhosale maintained.
Meanwhile, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange said the ongoing police probe into Vaishnavi Hagawane's dowry death would be a test case for the state home department's efficiency.
Mr Jarange on Monday paid a visit to the parents of Vaishnavi Hagawane in Pune district and expressed condolences to the family.
Speaking to reporters later, Mr Jarange said, "The probe into the case of Vaishnavi's dowry death will determine whether the home department is working efficiently or not and whether the victim's family will get justice." If the probe fails to nail the culprits and the accused are acquitted, then it will lead to an "uprising" in the state, he warned.
"If justice is not delivered in the case, the people of the state will feel the home department is weak," Mr Jarange insisted.
The activist emphasised the practice of dowry should be shunned and termed it as evil.
Police last week arrested Rajendra Hagawane, Vaishnavi's husband Shashank, mother-in-law Lata, sister-in-law Karishma, and brother-in-law Sushil. They later arrested five more people, including a son of a former Karnataka minister, for allegedly sheltering Rajendra Hagawane and his son Sushil when they were on the run.