UP: Husband of BJP MLA’s Daughter Assaulted; Court Provides Protection

Sakshi Misra and Ajitesh Kumar said their life was under threat from the former’s father, a BJP MLA, because of their inter-caste marriage.

New Delhi: Ajitesh Kumar, the husband of Sakshi Misra – a BJP MLA’s daughter – was reportedly assaulted outside the Allahabad high court by unknown persons. The couple last week said their life was under threat from Misra’s father Rajesh Misra, also known as Pappu Bhartaul, because of their inter-caste marriage. The attack occurred even as the couple were under police protection.

The assault on Monday occurred before the couple were scheduled to appear before the court to seek police protection. While the identity of the attackers hasn’t been verified yet, the incident adds weight to their claim that there is indeed a threat to their life.

Kumar was repeatedly slapped by unknown persons. “As they were about to enter the courtroom Ajitesh was beaten while in police protection. Only Ajitesh was beaten up,” a lawyer who was present outside the court told NDTV.

The scheduled hearing took place and the high court directed the superintendent of police (Prayagraj) to ensure the couple had full protection at all times. The couple had prayed that police or Mishra should not disturb them in their peaceful living as they were adult and had got marriage in free will. The court agreed and said for their safety, police should accompany them while they are travelling. The state government was also directed to provide necessary security.

Also Read: BJP MLA’s Daughter Claims Her Life Is Under Threat After Marrying a Dalit

While some media outlets initially reported that the couple were kidnapped, a police probe revealed that it was another young couple which had been abducted. This couple had also arrived at the court to seek protection, when they were abducted at gunpoint. They were later rescued by police in Fatehpur and the abductors were nabbed, according to ANI.

On July 10, Sakshi Misra (23) uploaded a video to social media and said she had married Ajitesh Kumar (29) on July 4. In another video, she said the couple was threat from her father Rajesh Misra, the MLA from Bithari Chainpur in Bareilly district, her brother and their an associate. She urged the Bareilly police to provide security to them.

Rajesh Misra denied his daughter’s claims and said he or his family had not threatened her. “I and my family are busy in our work. I am doing the people’s work in my constituency and presently running a BJP membership campaign. There is no threat to anyone from me,” he said.

The court order

Directing the state government to protect the couple, the court said, “it is being directed that the Police Authorities of the State of U.P. shall ensure that the respondents shall not interfere in the married lives of the petitioners. The Police shall also ensure that the petitioners are adequately protected.”

The court said the counsel of the petitioners (Sakshi Misra and Ajitesh Kumar) and the parents of the petitioners were also being threatened with dire consequences. “Under such circumstance, the Police to see that the counsel for the petitioners and also the family members of the petitioners are not brought to any harm in any manner whatsoever, ” said Justice Siddhartha Verma in the order.

The high court also asked the couple register their marriage under the UP Marriage Registration Rule 2017, within a period of two months from Monday. “In the event the marriage is not registered within the aforementioned period, this order shall automatically stand vacated”, the order said.

BJP mum on issue, but leader makes absurd claim in tweets

The BJP has not commented on the issue. However, in a series of tweets on Sunday, BJP leader Gopal Bhargava, who is the leader of opposition in Madhya Pradesh, said such incidents would lead to an unprecedented rise in female infanticide and skew the gender ratio.

He accused TV channels of trying to boost their ratings and make money by highlighting the Sakshi Misra-Ajitesh Kumar case. He said channels were “making fun of a distraught father and family over a modern version of Laila-Majnu”. “Their (the channels’s) action will ensure that the decade-old Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign will be set back,” he posted. He termed his views as “personal” and that he was speaking as an ordinary citizen.

“I believe with such news reports there will be an unprecedented rise in female infanticide and a skewed gender ratio, which will clearly be seen in social surveys. There will be illegal abortions in nursing homes and private hospitals,” Gopal Bhargava tweeted in Hindi.