Santals, a tribal community, of Mayurbhanj district have opposed Sports and Youth Services Minister Sudam Marandi over his daughter’s marriage with a non-tribal youth.
A large number of people belonging to Santal community gathered at Baripada and expressed resentments on Sunday when marriage of Marandi’s daughter was going on in capital city.
They alleged that while Marandi had got tribals’ support and built up his political carrier by promising to uphold the tribal culture, which debar anti-caste marriage, what forced him to hand over his daughter to a ‘Diku’ (non-tribal).
“Marandi has disrespected the community,” alleged Majhi Baba (divisional chief of Santals) Nimain Murmu. He wanted to know whether Marandi didn’t find a worthy candidate for his daughter.
Meanwhile, Marandi said he is not confined to the community. “I respect the community. But I am not confined to it and humanity is my religion,” Marandi told reporters here.