‘My father-in-law is being influenced by people who see me as a lower caste. But we cannot bow to these pressures, ”says MLA Prabhu.
Almost two weeks ago, AIADMK Legislative Assembly Member (MLA) A Prabhu went to the residence of the temple priest and S Party member Swaminathan with his parents, in the Kallakurichi district. In their 10-year friendship, Prabhu had always been greeted by the priest with warm words and hospitality. But that day, the Brahmin priest was enraged and made it clear that he was not welcome, recalls the legislator.
Prabhu, 35, who belongs to a programmed community, had gone with his family to ask for the hand of the priest’s daughter, Soundarya (19), in marriage.
“He said that we should not enter the house and that there was no question that we were getting married,” Prabhu told TNM in an interview. “First they said that I was like a son to them and when we insisted they began to insult us and told us to leave. They said that their community will not accept such an alliance and neither will their family. We left in silence because we did not want to create a scene. parents were humiliated but kept quiet, ”he adds.
But Prabhu was not discouraged by this. He says he and Soundharya had been friends, but fell in love after the shutdown began in March.
“We always had a good relationship, but it was when we couldn’t see each other after the lockdown that we realized this was more than just friendship. We have been in love for almost five months,” says Prabhu. “When her father objected, we decided that we had no choice but for her to leave the house and come without his approval,” he adds.
On Monday, the couple were married with the blessings of Prabhu’s family, but there has been no time to celebrate. Swaminathan has filed a habeas corpus petition in Madras High Court alleging that his daughter was abducted by the MLA and that he has had an illegal relationship with her for three years, since before she became an adult. Although Swaminathan in some interviews had said that she was opposed to the age difference, she does not mention this in the petition and only alleges that her daughter was abducted.
It is Soundharya who clears things up about it. Speaking to TNM, the newlywed says: “No one kidnapped me. We were in love and I left home because my parents did not agree with the marriage. We are happy now because I followed my heart and looked for my own future. I feel very bad because of my father’s anguish, but I hope to convince my parents of this. “
However, in his petition for a court order, the priest questions the character of the MLA and alleges that Prabhu “had many illegal affairs with many women. Since he has bad habits, he came to me for remedies through poojas, according to his request. , I had helped him through poojas. “
He further claims that he was threatened by MLA’s father when asked about his daughter’s whereabouts and offered Rs. 1 crore for his silence.
“None of this is true,” says Prabhu. “We have done nothing to deserve this type of character murder. I love her daughter and will take good care of her. We both did not think about community, caste or age when we fell in love. She knew I was 15.” older, but that did not affect her decision, “she explains.
As Prabhu is ready to fight the matter in court, he regrets the direction in which the controversy was headed.
“I married Soundharya to take good care of her, for a bright future and to live a happy life. But now I feel helpless because she is forced to face probing questions and rejection from her own family,” she says.
The MLA further acknowledges that even its political stance was not enough to escape the rigidity of the caste system.
“At the end of the day, we are human beings trapped in the spirits of this society. People talk about castes and their own communities. But tomorrow, when you are fighting, no one from this supposed community comes to help you. They only interfere when they want to generate controversy, “says Prabhu. “My father-in-law is being influenced by the people around him, who see me as a lower caste and themselves as a higher caste. But we cannot bow to these pressures. We have to do what is right for us.”
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