Brides given fake jewels at mass wedding

22-year-old Reeta Devi (name changed), who came from a poor family, was ecstatic when she received a pair of silver anklets and a toe ring as gift at her marriage,  which  was solmenised at a government-sponsored mass wedding function a few days ago.

Her joy was short lived. She came to know later that the anklets and toe ring were made of iron not silver.

The incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya district, about 200  km from here.

It turned out that over two dozen brides  were given fake anklets and toe rings.  These brides held a protest demonstration at the district magistrate's office, showing their fake ornaments.

Taking a serious view of the matter, the government has now ordered an inquiry into the matter.

"We will ensure stern punishment to the guilty," UP Social Welfare Minister Ramapati Shastri said on Thursday.

The incident comes close on the heels of reports of married couples being made to tie the nuptial knot at a mass wedding function in Baghpat district.

It was alleged that the district officials included the married couples in the ceremony in a bid to meet the target set by the administration under the Chief Minister Mass Marriage Scheme.

Officials said that so far over seven thousand couples had entered into wedlock in the scheme in different parts of the state.

Under the scheme, the government bears the expenditure incurred, and the weddings help widows, divorcees, daughters of widows and daughters of differently abled parents.

Under the scheme, Rs 20,000  is transferred into the bank account of the bride. She also gets ornaments, cloths and make up articles.