PUNE: Prominent families from the Maratha community and politicians on Monday came together to deliberate on a code of conduct aimed at curbing lavish and extravagant weddings, a move coming in the backdrop of suicide by the daughter-in-law of an expelled Maharashtra NCP leader.Vaishnavi, the daughter-in-law of expelled NCP leader Rajendra Hagawane hanged herself at her marital home in Bavdhan in Pimpri-Chinchwad town of Pune district in western Maharashtra on May 16.Her family has alleged she was harassed for dowry, including a demand for Rs 2 crore to purchase land, by Rajendra Hagawane, a Maratha, and his relatives.According to her parents, the Hagawane family was given 51 tolas (595 gm) of gold, silver, and an SUV during the wedding, but the harassment allegedly continued.The grand wedding, held at an upscale Pune resort in 2023, saw Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who heads the NCP, handing over the keys of an SUV to the couple.The Maratha community meeting on a code of conduct for weddings, held in Pune, was attended by several political and social leaders from the community, including Pune city Congress unit president Arvind Shinde, NCP (SP) leaders Ankush Kakde and Chetan Tupe (MLA, Hadapsar), former Pune mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale, former corporator Shrikant Shirole, NCP (SP) city unit president Prashant Jagtap, and Maratha quota activist Rajendra Kondhare.”The entire community woke up after this tragic incident. Today, we deliberated on how to curb practices seen in big fat weddings. A platform will be formed comprising key community members to take this idea forward,” said Shirole.Several resolutions were passed in the meeting, including a call to shun lavish weddings and encourage modest ceremonies, sensitization of in-laws, especially mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, on treating daughters-in-law with respect and dignity, creating awareness among parents to support their daughters in case of harassment.Congress leader Arvind Shinde said the community resolved to socially boycott families found harassing their daughters-in-law.
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