A marriage officer has been suspended after a disabled woman was forced to go up to the second-floor office of a marriage registrar at Khar in Mumbai on her wedding day to complete the formalities.

The Maharashtra revenue department on Wednesday issued a government resolution (GR) suspending the officer – Arun Ghodekar.

Virali Modi, who uses a wheelchair and identifies herself as a disability rights activist, in a post on X last week claimed she had to be carried to the second-floor office of the marriage registrar in the city on her wedding day because the building had no lift and the officials refused to come down to complete the formalities.

“How is this fair? What happened to the Accessible India campaign? Just because I’m a wheelchair user, do I not have the right to get married to someone I love? What if someone had slipped and what if I had fallen on my wedding day? Who is responsible?” she asked.

How is this fair? What happened to the Accessible India campaign? Just because I’m a wheelchair user, do I not have the right to get married to someone I love? What if someone had slipped and what if I had fallen on my wedding day? Who is responsible?

— Virali Modi (@Virali01) October 18, 2023

The post, which was shared many times, had also elicited a response from Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who said he was sorry for what she had to face and assured to take “corrective and appropriate action”.

The state revenue department in the GR said Ghodekar, as a government officer, insisted that the disabled person come to the second floor on the ground of collecting her and the groom’s fingerprints and photos on the computer.

“There are provisions in the Special Marriage Act 1954 where the marriage officer needs to go to the wedding location at a reasonable distance from the marriage registration office. The government officers have to respond and provide service to the weaker sections,” the GR said.

“People close to Virali Modi and her fiance, Kshitij Nayak, telephoned Ghodekar, requesting him to come downstairs to complete the marriage registration procedure. But Ghodekar insisted that they come to the second floor of the building, which had no lift. For violating the service rules and indecent behaviour, Arun Ghodekar will remain suspended till further order,” it added.

Virali Modi in her post last week said, “I am disabled and I got married at the Registrars Office at Khar Mumbai on 16/10/23. The office was on the 2nd floor WITHOUT a lift. They wouldn’t come downstairs for the signatures and I had to be carried up two flights of stairs to get married.” 

“I am disheartened that my country’s government and citizens cannot accommodate to my disability. My faith in humanity has been destroyed by this ordeal. I am not a piece of luggage that needs to be carried up two floors. I am a human being and my rights matter!” she added on an anguished note. 

KL Rahul has been busy with the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 but that has not stopped him from taking time off with his Indian cricketer team mates. The cricketer shared pictures of his chilly dips in the gushing river of Dharamshala on X. The backdrop included beautiful nature consisting of lush green hills and pine trees. The sight made us crave a vacation in the hills instantly. His tweet read, “nothing beats nature’s ice dip.” The post definitely received love, and comments from the cricketer’s fans and followers. 2 LINES WHY DHARAMSHALA IS GOOD TO VISIT IN OCTOBER 

Also Read: 4 Bridal Beauty Lessons We Learned From The Gorgeous Bollywood Bride Athiya Shetty

nothing beats natures ice dip ? pic.twitter.com/g1lMM4b553

— K L Rahul (@klrahul) October 25, 2023

Like KL Rahul, if you are planning a vacation to Dharamshala this season, here are a few things you must not miss doing.

Also Read: Athiya Shetty Weaves Dreamy Bridal Fashion Goals In A Blush Pink Lehenga

5 Things To Do On Your Vacation To Dharamshala

1. Visit The Monasteries

There are numerous monasteries in Dharamshala like Namgyal Monastery, Nechung Monastery, Gyuto Monastery, and more. Visiting these monasteries will give you insights into the Buddhist culture. Besides, you will also experience peace and tranquility by visiting these places.

2. Satiate The Taste Buds At The Local Cafes

There are famous food joints with scenic views and lip-smacking food to try out. You will be surprised at the delicious Tibetan cuisine and momos that the city has to offer. Do not miss the Thukpa when in Dharamshala.

3. Pay Respects At The War Memorial

One of the famous tourist attractions in Dharamshala, the Dharamshala War Memorial embodies the bravery and sacrifice of freedom fighters. It is set amidst picturesque greenery and features names of soldiers and martyrs who fought the wars in 1947, 1948, 1962, 1965, and 1971.

4. Watch A Match At The Himachal Pradesh Stadium

The Himachal Pradesh stadium is located at a scenic location. The cricket stadium has a backdrop of snow-clad mountains, lush greenery, and pine trees. If you get a chance to witness a cricket match at the stadium, consider yourself lucky or you can visit the stadium as a tourist attraction.

5. Explore The Tea Gardens

The tea gardens in Dharamshala will enchant you with their breathtaking views. You can also explore the tea-making process and taste samples of the freshly-made teas at the retail outlets. Besides this, one can click photographs at the picturesque locations.

If KL Rahul’s Dharamshala getaway is not making you want to visit Dharamshala immediately, we don’t know what will.

Also Read: Dharamashala: Exploring The Historical And Archeological Sites Around Little Lhasa

A banner describing Rahul Gandhi as the ‘2024 Prime Minister’ appeared outside the Congress party office in Lucknow, days after the Samajwadi Party office put up a similar poster calling its party chief Akhilesh Yadav India’s ‘future Prime Minister’.

The Congress banner also described its state president Ajay Rai as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2027.

Responding to the poster, Samajwadi Party (SP) state spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan ‘Chand’ who had put up Akhilesh Yadav’s poster said it was their party which was fighting the battle of backwards, Dalits and minorities, so it did not matter how many posters the Congress put up as people wanted Yadav as the Prime Minister.

The large banner describing the Samajwadi Party chief as the ‘future Prime Minister’ put up on Monday by a party worker generated a buzz in political circles.

The ruling BJP described it as “Mungeri Lal ke haseen sapne (a pipedream)” of Yadav’s associates and an attempt to put pressure on other members of the INDIA opposition grouping.

The Congress hoarding put up by party worker Nitant Singh Nitin carries the pictures of Rahul Gandhi and Ajay Rai with the slogan “2024 mein Rahul, 2027 mein Rai, desh-pradesh bol raha hai, haath ke saath aayen” (Rahul in 2024, (Ajay) Rai in 2027, both country and state are asking you to come in support of the hand (Congress symbol)).

Nitin, when asked about the banner, told Press Trust of India “This is the feeling of the party’s workers. Also, the common people want to come along with the Congress in the coming days.”

“There will be a direct contest between Congress and BJP in the coming days and Rahul Gandhi will be the Prime Minister and Ajay Rai will become Chief Minister of the state. There is growing confidence among the people towards our party,” Nitin said.

Senior Congress leader Dwijendra Tripathi said the hoarding has been put up by a party worker and is an expression of what he and other workers feel. “This is often seen in politics, it is an expression of party workers’ feelings,” Mr Tripathi said.

Reacting sharply, Samajwadi Party state spokesperson Hasan said, “Both the Congress and the BJP are the same and the Samajwadis have been saying this for long. Any party can put up posters as per their sentiment.”

“It is the Samajwadi Party which is fighting the battle of backwards, Dalits and minorities. No matter how many posters Congress puts up, the public wants Akhilesh Yadav to be the PM. When an SP chief becomes a PM, an SP leader will become the Chief Minister of UP. The vote share of Congress in UP is less than that of many regional parties,” Mr Hasan said.

The poster put up by Hasan read, “Hearty congratulations and best wishes on his birthday to the future Prime Minister of the country, respected Akhilesh Yadav ji,” though Mr Yadav’s official date of birth is July 1.

During the last few days, Akhilesh Yadav has publicly expressed his unhappiness with the Congress over the failure to arrive at a seat-sharing arrangement in Madhya Pradesh and had also referred to UPCC chief Ajay Rai as a “chirkut” (low-level) leader.