A Dalit farmer from Budaun district, Achchan Lal, has lodged a complaint against four marriage hall owners in the Sahaswan area, accusing them of caste-based discrimination after they allegedly refused to rent their venues for his daughter’s wedding. The wedding, scheduled for February 4, 2025, involves his daughter, a school teacher in Sahaswan, and her fiancé, a banker from Delhi.
In his complaint to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Achchan Lal stated that despite repeated efforts, no hall owner in the area was willing to book a venue for the ceremony due to the family’s Dalit background.
“No hall owner is willing to rent out his venue because we are Dalits,” he said.
He requested the SDM’s intervention to help secure a location for the wedding.
Circle Officer Karam Vir Singh confirmed that an investigation had been launched into the matter. The marriage hall owners, however, denied any discrimination, stating that they had previously hosted events for members of the Dalit community. They explained that no one would face any issues if the dates were available. However, they did stipulate that no meat be prepared at the venue, which has raised further concerns.
The bride’s brother, Arun, expressed frustration, stating that if the hall owners continue to refuse, they would hold the wedding in their own neighborhood. He also said that they would pursue legal action. The family also mentioned that the hall owners had suggested postponing the wedding date.
One of the hall owners, Narayan Kumar, defended his stance, citing a pre-scheduled event on February 3 that would make it impossible to prepare the venue in time for the wedding.
This case has reignited concerns of caste discrimination, drawing comparisons to a similar incident in Sambhal district in February 2023. In that case, a Dalit family faced resistance from upper-caste individuals, and the local administration had to deploy heavy police security to ensure the wedding took place without disruption.
