Dalit Tamil Nadu MLA marries Brahmin woman, her father opposes wedding

Chennai, October 7

A Dalit AIADMK MLA’s marriage to a 19-year-old Brahmin woman has met with staunch opposition from her father, who after a scuttled suicide attempt, alleged that the legislator abducted his daughter, a charge denied by both the bride and groom.

When the MLA, A Prabhu, tied the knot with S Soundarya at his residence at Thiyagadurugam in Kallakurichi district on Monday, her father Swaminathan, a temple priest, dropped in, police said.

He reportedly said he would “gift” the couple his “life” and attempted to set himself ablaze after pouring petrol on his body.

However, he was overpowered by police personnel and party workers.

At the local police station, the priest was advised against taking extreme steps and asked to give an undertaking that he would not attempt to kill himself.

The priest said his objection to the marriage was not the caste factor, but the difference in age between his daughter and the MLA.

The legislator was 36-year-old and his daughter was 19 and a groom who was 17 years older than the bride would not be a suitable match, he said.

Also, Swaminathan alleged that his daughter was abducted by the MLA and that she was “lured and diverted” and made to marry Prabhu against her wishes.

Soundarya, however, asserted that she married Prabhu out of her own volition, adding she was in love with the MLA for about four months.

In a video post, in which she appeared alongside her husband, the MLA, a B Tech graduate, too dismissed the claim of the priest that his daughter was kidnapped.

“We were in love for about four months and when I sought the permission of her parents to marry her they denied it,” the MLA said.

Later, he said he married Soundarya only based on her wish and with her whole hearted consent.

Swaminathan claimed that due to the influence of the legislator he could not lodge a complaint with police against him and alleged that he has received threats.

The MLA, however, dismissed the priest’s claim as false.

“I did not threaten or intimidate her family members or lure Soundarya.

Our marriage was based on mutual consent,” Prabhu said. — PTI