Fulfilling 6-year-old promise, Om Birla performs ritual at wedding of Pulwama martyr's daughter

Kota: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, fulfilling a promise he had made six years ago, attended the wedding ceremony of a Pulwama martyr's daughter in Rajasthan's Kota, assuming the role of a brother to the bride's mother.

Birla, who is also the MP from Kota-Bundi, attended the wedding in Sangod village on Friday evening and performed the traditional wedding ritual of Bhaat or Maira.

State Energy Minister Heeralal Nagar also accompanied Birla at the ceremony.

Birla fulfilled a commitment he had made six years ago by presenting customary gifts to 25-year-old Reena Meena, daughter of the late Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldier Hemraj, who was martyred in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.

In the Hindu wedding tradition, Bhaat or Maira is a ritual where a brother offers gifts to his sister on the occasion of her daughter's wedding.

Birla and Nagar offered a ceremonial 'odhani' and other gifts to the late jawan's wife, Madhubala, who in return adorned them with a traditional tilak and performed an aarti.

Assuming the role of a brother to Madhubala, Birla extended his support and honoured his pledge by actively participating in the wedding rituals.

Since Hemraj’s martyrdom, Birla has visited the family on Raksha Bandhan every year and maintained a close bond with them.

Birla, who had vowed to stand by the martyr’s family following the Pulwama attack, has remained engaged in their lives, celebrating festivals and offering support.

The Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019, resulted in the deaths of 40 CRPF personnel.

The attack occurred when a vehicle-borne suicide bomber targeted a convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack.