New Delhi: The #MarriageIn17Minutes is one of the top trending hashtags in India right now. People, especially in northern India are tweeting the hashtag, praising Saint Rampal of the Satlok Ashram and posting images related to dowry and dowry deaths.
According to the hundreds of Twitter posts, ‘Marriage in 17 Minutes’ is an initiative by Saint Rampal to eradicate the dowry system from Indian society. He has, according to the numerous posts, made it mandatory for his followers to not give or take dowry.
#MarriageIn17Minutes to succeed Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj’s Dowry Free India campaign which became the headlines of local newspapers. A lot of thanks to you for contributing in #EliminatingTheCurseOfDowry pic.twitter.com/texFxM2IjS
— Yshu vancharya (@yshu_dasi) June 22, 2019
Many of the Twitter users also hailed the godman for his initiative as, being in the 21st century, we still see many cases of dowry deaths. Some have also slammed the government for only paying lip service towards the cause by saying ‘beti bachao’ but not doing anything to remove the evil of the dowry system, which is the root cause of female foeticide.
Save Girl Child is a mission set by Indian Government named- “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao”.
But government remain unsuccessful in saving Girl child.
Only Saint Rampal ji is reforming the society where no one will harm girls.#MarriageIn17Minutes pic.twitter.com/oTBK2Hx6Iu— Ankit Sankhla (@Ankit5246) June 22, 2019
Another reason why the Twitterati are praising the godman is that, apparently, he conducted the marriage ceremony of several couples at once in just 17 minutes, performing only the basic Hindu rituals, eliminating the need for wasteful expenditure on things like DJs, bands and other add-ons. According to the news clippings in this Twitter post, on June 17, Saint Rampal performed a marriage ceremony for 101 couples at once in under 17 minutes without “band baja” or dowry.
The occasion of Kabir Prakat Diwas,17th June that was celebrated in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh and Rohtak, Haryana. It was a unique example of social reform in which our new generation has accepted Best Way of Marriage#MarriageIn17Minutes #EliminatingTheCurseOfDowry pic.twitter.com/mmUwnwj1Hl
— Bhavya (@bhavya_1999_15) June 22, 2019
It can be recalled that Rampal was, according to an article on Wikipedia, charged with murder and attempt to murder, and jailed for 22 months. His followers claim that he was falsely implicated in the case. He is also allegedly mentioned in the list of fake sadhus released by Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the apex organisation of Hindu Sants and Sadhus in India.