Punjab family refuses gifts at wedding, asks guests to donate money for protesting farmers

CHANDIGARH: Showing their solidarity with the protesting farmers in a unique way, a family in Punjab did not accept gifts at a wedding and instead placed a donation box asking guests to donate money to the farmers at the Singhu and Tikri borders of Delhi.

The incident took place at the wedding reception of Abhijeet Singh, nephew of Jasdeep Singh Brar, sarpanch of Sheikhu village in Muktsar district of Punjab.

Talking to The New Indian Express, Brar said, "We placed a donation box next to the dance floor at the reception ceremony of my nephew Abhijeet Singh which was held on December 7 at the village itself and asked the guests not to give 'shagun' but to donate money for the cause of the protesting farmers who were fighting to save farming and our future generations. We do not believe in taking dowry or 'shagun'. We have collected around Rs 1 lakh and will in a day or two go to the Delhi borders and, after finding out what is needed by the farmers there, buy those items and give them there and then.’’

"Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Punjab Deputy Speaker Ajaib Singh Bhatti who attended the marriage gave us 'shagun' but we put it in the donation box. We have 50 acres of land. Besides we are commission agents. This is the least which we can contribute from our side towards our farmer brothers,’’ he said.

A video of the reception has gone viral on social media, where the DJ is appealing to the gathering to put the ‘shagun’ amount in the donation box. Punjabi singer Kanwar Grewal also shared the video on his Facebook page. "Now people have been calling us and have appreciated the gesture. We never expected that the video will go so viral,” Brar added.

Recently a groom in Karnal in neighbouring Haryana expressed his support for the farmers by driving a tractor to his wedding. Also, the family opted for a simple wedding so that the money which is saved could be donated to the gurdwaras that are serving food to the farmers.