Ben, we can think of attending the wedding only if you do!!”

“Ben, you must come for the wedding, if you do not come none of the Dafer will. You also need to speak to my daughter’s in-laws. The recent raid by the police has scared them so much that they are refusing to come with the marriage party!! Will you speak to them?” insisted Kesarben.

“I certainly will talk to them. And remain present at the wedding. Please don’t worry.” I assured.

In the picture - at Dafer wedding…….

The wedding of Kesarben and Hayatbhai’s daughter was scheduled on 6th May, in Gangad. The Dafer from across Gujarat kept calling me to inquire if I was to remain present at the wedding, “Ben, are you going to the wedding, we can think of attending the wedding only if you do!!”  

By the time I reached the wedding venue after finishing the day at the office, it was 9.30 PM. Many guests had left the venue. They had reasoned that I might not be able to attend the wedding because of my busy schedule. Usually, the presence of VSSM’s Tohid or Raj is enough to assure the Dafer but this time around the fear of police harassment was huge and hence they wanted me to remain present.

It is such sad instance when such memorable occasions should be observed under the clout of fear!! We hope this shadows of fear and despair very soon become thing of past for this community. 

સાંજે ઓફીસનું કામ પતાવી લગ્ન માટે નીકળી લગભગ ગાંગડ પહોંચતા 9.30 થઈ ગયા હશે. પહોંચ્યા ત્યારે ખ્યાલઆવ્યો કે, કેટલાક લોકો તો નીકળી ગયા હતા. નીકળી ગયેલા સાથે વાત કરી તો તેમણે કહ્યું, ‘તમે કામમાં હશોએટલે નહીં આવી શકો એમ સમજીને અમે....’

પોલીસનો ભય તેમને લાગી રહ્યો હતો. એટલે મારી હાજરી તેમને જોઈતી હતી. આમ તો ડફેરના લગ્નમાં અમારાકાર્યકર તોહીદ કે રાજ હાજરી આપે. અમારી હાજરીથી તેઓ નિશ્ચત હોય...

લગ્ન જેવી સુંદર પળો પણ તેમને સતત ભયમાં વિતાવવી પડે! ભય વગર તેઓ લગ્ન કરે તેવી ક્ષણો નિર્માણ થાયતેવી અભ્યર્થના..

#ડફેરના લગ્નમાં....