A Dombivli-based software engineer, Sanjay Kadam (29) got married Navi Mumbai’s Sweta Gadkari (28), who is from lower caste three years ago following a college romance with the acceptance of their parents. However, now Sanjay found that the residents of his Vaghiware village in Ratnagiri district along with his relatives are ostracizing him and his family. Sanjay said that the villagers first boycotted the wedding reception and also threatened Sanjay’s uncle Sakharam against attending it, when they found out that Sweta belonged to a lower caste. Sakharam was also stopped from performing his job as a pandit at the village temple. The family alleged they were not allowed to donate to the temple.
Sanjay's father, Soma Kadam, said when they visited their village, they are not sold grocery items and were threatened with dire consequences. Finally, the mandal's members have reportedly sent a message through a relative that the family has to pay a fine of Rs. 1 Lakh in order to get the acceptance by the villagers, after the Kadams’ repeated attempts of rapprochement. The family said though they initially agreed to pay the amount later they decided to go against when they came to know that they are not going to get any written assurance that they would be allowed to live peacefully thereafter.
Upset over the attitude of villagers, Sanjay decided to teach them a lesson. He approached Maharashtra State Human Right Commission (MSHRC) and Manpada police in Dombivli. Manpada police refused to register an FIR and asked the family to go to their local village police station. On Monday, they approached Chiplun police station and register a case. When contacted, Manpada police refused to comment on the case.
Dilip Kadam, president of the mandal, said the allegations made by the Kadams were baseless and that they never had boycotted the family. He said the mandal was in fact shocked when they learned of the allegations.
- Manohar
