Lucknow: Twenty-three-year-old Sakshi Mishra, daughter of BJP MLA Rajesh Mishra alias Pappu Bhartaul, uploaded at least two videos on social media, to announce her wedding to Ajitesh Kumar (29), a Dalit, almost a week ago. She also sought police protection from Bareilly and Uttar Pradesh Police.
Sakshi in the video is seen alleging that her own father (Rajesh Mishra) and brother (Vicky) have let loose goons to intimidate them.
In the first video, Sakshi first briefs about her family. She says, “The sindoor that I am sporting is proof, papa, that I have married of my own free will; now accept it and let me live in peace, else be ready to face the consequences.”
Sakshi also adds, “Ajitesh and his family are good people, and not animals. I am sure that I will be leading a happy life with them. Please tell your people to stop hounding us as it is getting a bit too much.” She signs off in the first video by asking her father to change his narrow mindset.
Watch the video appeal of Sakshi Mishra
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFPE7tKCUgg[/embedyt]
The video is followed by another one, in which both Sakshi and Ajitesh are seen alleging about the life threat that looms over their life for their inter-caste marriage.
“This video is a call to the SSP of Bareilly to protect us, for we know that we will be killed if they catch hold of us,” alleges Sakshi in the video. Ajitesh is heard saying, “We have just had a narrow escape this morning from the hotel that we were staying in. They are doing this to save their honour as Sakshi has married me, a Dalit boy. We are posting this video, dear friends, to seek your support.”
Sakshi warns, “If anything happens to me, Ajitesh or his family, then my father, brother and Rajeev Rana are to be held responsible. Rana is here with his team, hounding us. I have married willingly and now I want to lead a happy life, please leave us in peace.”
The couple’s video which has had over thousands of views and retweets, had many praising the couple for their guts. Some even asked if the couple had been inspired by Amazon Prime’s web series Made in Heaven. Ashni Dhaor tweeted, “This exaft (exact) same scenario was shown in @PrimeVideoIN series @MadeInHeavenTv. Did she get the idea from there?”
Many were seen suggesting that the couple should move down south and to destroy their sim card and never contact the girl’s parents, while many requested the girl’s family to forgive and forget the couple.
Meanwhile, the couple, unsure of getting help from UP police, has filed a PIL in Allahabad Court, which will be heard today. In the PIL the couple has cited life threat from Rajesh Misra and his family members.
The SOS from this inter-caste couple comes close on the heels of a Dalit boy being hacked to death by his upper caste in-laws in the presence of officials in Gujarat.
