Another worrisome display of caste hierarchy, threat of “honour” killing and attempts to control the autonomy has come forth.
On December 16, the niece of
Chhattisgarh’s Drputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma released a video on social media worried for her own safety. She also accused her uncle of threatening her life.
As per a now viral video, the girl in the video is Anjali Sharma, a resident of Kawardha district, is the daughter of Ajay Sharma and the niece of Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma.
In the video, Anjali can be seen pleading for her safety and justice. She states in the video that she has gotten married to a youth from Satnami community and the lives of the couple is in danger from her uncle, Dy CM Vijay Sharma.
She can be heard saying that “If anything happens to us, my uncle Vijay Sharma will be responsible for it.” She can be further heard asserting that she is happy in her marriage, which she has entered into of her own will, and does not want to be harassed by the state. She says “I request the government and administration that I am happy and should not harass us.”
Anjali then shed light on the issue that she had been facing from her family due to the caste difference between the couple. In the video, she says “My family members were refusing to marry me because our caste was different but I loved Aman so I got married as per my wish. I left my house and came and sat in Aman’s house. Here the family got us married because I had said that as soon as I come home, I have to get married because if this marriage did not happen, my life would not have been possible.”
Further in the video, Anjali emphasises on the threats that she has been facing by her family after her inter-caste marriage. She alleges that her uncle, the deputy CM, will be the one to be held responsible for any harm that is caused to her or her husband as he was the one most against the inter-caste marriage.
She further says, “I had received many threats from my family that either they will kill you or your husband’s family members will kill you. If anything happens to me or my husband’s family members, then the full responsibility for it will be on my uncle, Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Vijay Sharma because he was the one who was most against our marriage.”
Anjali then re-iterates her happiness and stands by her decision by saying “But I am happy with Aman and will remain happy in future too. My mental condition is fine but attempts have been made to worsen it but I am absolutely fine. My mental condition is absolutely normal because I am an adult. I can take my decisions as per my own wish. I request the government administration and my family members not to harass me. Let me live in peace and you too can live in peace. I want to stay here for the rest of my life and I don’t want to go back home, thanks.”
The video can be viewed here:
छत्तीसगढ़ के डिप्टी CM विजय शर्मा की भतीजी का वीडियो वायरल हो रहा है। अंजली शर्मा ने दूसरे कास्ट के लड़के से प्रेम विवाह किया है। क्या कह रही है अंजली सुनिए। pic.twitter.com/z7QHlQ2fxb
— Ravi Miri ABP News (@Ravimiri1) December 16, 2023
This video, which has caused an uproar on social media, has resulted in people raising fingers against the newly appointed BJP leader, accusing him of promoting casteism. The said leader had already been indulging in making speeches on the issues of conversion and love jihad, as reported by India Posts. The said report of India Posts also stated that Kawardha district Superintendent of Police, Abhishek Pallav stated that he was aware of the video but no complaint has been received from the victim’s side. The SP assured that if any complaint is received, then cognizance will be taken into the matter.
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