Groom's Wedding Day Protest Over Power Cut in Banda
In an unusual turn of events in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, a groom transformed his wedding celebration into a public protest on Monday. Kuldeep, whose wedding had been scheduled for months, found himself leading his entire baraat to the district magistrate's office instead of the temple, all because of an untimely power disruption.
Pre-Wedding Chaos Due to Electricity Disconnection
The trouble began on Sunday evening when Kuldeep's family was hosting mehndi ceremonies and dance programs at their home in the Mataundh police station area. Around 10:45 PM, just hours before the wedding, the electricity suddenly went out. While the family initially assumed it was a general outage, they soon discovered neighboring houses still had power.
A check of their smart meter revealed the balance had turned negative, triggering the automatic disconnection. Kuldeep explained that since the installation of the smart meter, their electricity bills had more than doubled, making regular payments increasingly difficult for his family.
Wedding Procession Takes Unusual Detour
With the wedding party scheduled to depart on Monday morning, relatives urged Kuldeep to proceed to the temple for the ceremony. Instead, the determined groom declared, "First, everyone come with me to the DM office."
Around 11 AM, Kuldeep arrived at the district magistrate's office wearing his wedding sherwani and carrying a puja thali, accompanied by the full wedding procession complete with band music. The sight of a groom at the collectorate quickly drew a curious crowd.
Women in the procession raised slogans and displayed posters with messages including: "Waive the electricity bill as my wedding gift" and "The bride must come home, electricity must be saved."
Official Response and Resolution
District officials, alerted to the unusual protest, came out to speak with the groom about his grievances. Kuldeep reiterated that paying bills had become challenging since the smart meter installation, with charges exceeding what his family could comfortably afford.
"We are a simple family. How do we pay such a bill?" he asked officials, referring to a bill of approximately Rs 15,000 that had led to the power disconnection.
The district magistrate listened to their demands and assured them of a resolution. Following this assurance, the wedding party returned to continue with the marriage ceremonies.
Power Department and Administrative Action
Power department chief engineer Rajeev Garg commented on the incident, stating, "The issue would have occurred if the balance went negative. They have been informed to keep the balance positive and there will be no problem."
City magistrate Sandeep Kela confirmed that orders have been issued for an inquiry into the complaint of power disconnection, indicating the administration is taking the matter seriously.
This incident highlights the challenges some families face with new electricity metering systems and the extreme measures people might take when essential services are disrupted during important life events. The groom's protest successfully brought administrative attention to what he perceived as an unjust situation threatening to overshadow his wedding day.
