Don’t be fooled by the city-life! Much of rural India isn’t equipped with proper sanitary arrangements. Toilets are a novelty for people living in remote villages and women still have to walk quite the distance to ‘unload’ themselves. However, to battle this crisis, Madhya Pradesh government has come up with a rather offbeat solution!
According to a report by TOI, Madhya Pradesh grooms have to take a selfie standing in the toilet and submit it to the state as proof that they have toilet facilities in their house. Only then will there be a wedding. In addition to that, the bride would be given a financial assistance of Rs. 51,000 by the government.
This practice is a part of the Mukhya Mantri Kanya Vivah/Nikha scheme. News18 reveals that since it’s “practically impossible” for state officials to hop from one house to another to check whether they have toilets, demanding toilet selfies is an easier option.
What comes as a surprise is that this practice is not just confined to rural parts of Madhya Pradesh. Even Bhopal Municipal Corporation has started making the same demands!
One Bhopal groom revealed how before his Nikah, the Qazi refused to officiate the marriage until he was provided with the toilet-selfie!
The toilet clause had been made mandatory back in 2013 but the toilet-selfie as photographic evidence is a new addition. However, many people are of the opinion that the implementation could have been less embarrassing.
“The idea of grooms being required to prove they have a toilet before marrying is not a bad thing. The social justice department has not issued any such directive. The implementation of the policy can be better,” said J. N. Kansotiya, Principal Secretary of the Department of Social Justice and Disabled Welfare.
While the thought behind the initiative is spot-on, it might be embarrassing for the grooms to pose inside toilets and have the picture on government records!