This legislator sets example, keeps his wedding low-key

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, February 14

No vehicles hired, no sweets, no band-baaja and a small number of baraatis — AAP MLA from Bhadaur Pirmal Singh Dhaula kept his wedding a low-key affair. Neighbours, other party MLAs and MPs got to know about the marriage from his Facebook post, following which he was flooded with congratulatory calls.

A day after marriage, Dhaula was back to business, conducting meetings and calling officers for the pending works of party workers. All members of the bride and groom families partook of langar in a Faridkot gurdwara after marriage.

“I am against expenditure on marriage and it’s another effort to set an example for others. Marriage does not mean to fire weapons or consume liquor , but it’s a start of new life for a couple with the blessings of God. I will organise an akhand path for friends and party MLAs in the coming days, but will not throw a party,” said Pirmal today while busy in conducting a linemen union’s meeting at his residence.

His wife Jasvir Kaur works as a lecturer in Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, while his father-in-law Tejvir Singh works with the Canal Department.

Some neighbours, who saw around four-five vehicles leaving the MLA’s house at New Friends Colony here on Tuesday morning, thought that the MLA was going to attend some political function. The vehicles belonged to his relatives.

“I saw some vehicles leaving his house in the morning. I thought he is leaving for a political function as usually many people in vehicles come to meet him daily,” said Surinder Singh, an area resident.

Harpreet Singh Khalsa, who has been with Dhaula since 2010 and is also a matchmaker, said Dhaula wanted to take only 15 relatives for marriage, but he convinced him to take along at least seven main members of their Unemployed Linemen Union, Punjab.

“Hope better sense prevails upon others also and Punjab could see decline in lavish marriages in near future,” said Khalsa.

Punjab AAP co-convener and Sunam MLA Aman Arora said his party was proud of Dhaula and the state needed such marriages to reduce expenses.

“Dhaula has set an example for others to follow. AAP has always believed in simple living,” he said.