Jaipur, May 13
A man in Rajasthan has got both his daughters married to the same bridegroom even though it amounts to bigamy, saying it will ensure care for the elder girl who is mentally challenged.Chittar Jat, a resident of Tumbipur village of Tonk district, over 140 km from here, was adamant about solemnising the marriage of both his daughters to the same young man on May 11 despite intervention by the local administration.
According to family sources, the girls— Janta, 20, and Mamta, 18, married Giriraj Chaudhary, 22.
The first wedding was solemnised publicly in Tonk while the second was reportedly held a few hours later in a clandestine manner without any guests.
The local police, still clueless about the incident, have ruled out bigamy. "Giriraj has solemnised the marriage with only one girl and there are no reports of any second marriage," said a police official.
However, family sources said the older daughter being mentally challenged and hearing impaired must have fuelled the Jat's decision to pack her off with her sister in a marital double-deal.
The bridegroom, they add, is an educated man living with his sick mother in Bagwada village on Jaipur-Kota highway.
Jat had earlier told IANS: "I decided to marry Janta and Mamta to the same boy. What wrong have I done? If both the daughters go into the same family, the younger Mamta would take proper care of her sister Janta as she not only knows her but also understands her.
"Not a single person from both the families or society has any objection to this marriage. My society is with me." Admitting that "we live in an extremely orthodox society where bigamy is not allowed," he added, "I feel proud of my decision. I know that my decision will tempt several other youths to come forward to help girls like Janta in whatever way it may be."
— IANS
