Dalit wedding proecession held under heavy security in Rajasthan

A Dalit groom’s community baarat (wedding procession) was conducted under heavy security in Rajasthan’s Govinddaspur village of Jhunjhunu district following a series of threats from local upper-caste communities.

The authorities arranged security for the Dalit groom Rakesh’s baarat, deploying over 60 personnel from the Quick Reaction Team and local police forces to ensure a safe wedding environment, highlighting critical challenges the Dalit community faces in asserting their basic rights.

The Bhim Army district president Vikas Aalha and state secretary Ravi Marodiya were also present during the wedding procession to support the family.

It is a tradition in the village that only upper-caste grooms are allowed to ride the horse. However, Rakesh showed a symbolic act of resistance against intimidation while displaying a portrait of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar during his wedding procession.

Speaking on the case, Mehara police officer Bhajanram said, “We received a complaint from Rakesh’s family that he was being threatened with attacks for horse riding during his baarat. We detained many people to maintain a peaceful environment for the procession to proceed”.

Attacks on Dalit baarat in BJP-ruled states

The incident echoes a similar case reported in several BJP-ruled states including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

In February 2024, a Dalit groom was brutally attacked for riding a horse as part of his wedding procession in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar district. The groom, along with around 100 participants in the procession, was on his way to his bride’s house when a man on a motorcycle intercepted and dragged him down from the horse and slapped him.

In May 2024, another Dalit groom was subjected to a violent assault in the Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh. He was thrown out of his ‘buggy’ (horse cart) during his wedding procession as it passed through a neighbourhood predominantly inhabited by an upper-caste community. The accused were angry over the Dalit procession passing through the residential area.