Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended wedding of the daughter of slain Pulwama jawan Hemraj Meena. Meena was killed in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. He fulfilled the promise to family given upon his martyrdom.
It was a wedding in routine of many such solemnized in the village every year yet it was unique for the attendance of a dignitary, no less than Speaker of Lok Sabha Om Birla that turned out to be precious gift for the bride and family.
A courtyard, once silent with sorrow, echoed with joy and music when Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla entered with 'mayra/bhaat' (a traditional wedding gift) to fulfil a six-year-old promise made to a grieving widow.
LS Speaker Om Birla did not show up his formal presence on the occasion, instead as a heartwarming gesture, performed the 'bhat' ritual for the daughter of slain Pulwama jawan Hemraj Meena, a magnanimous act that moved everyone present at the wedding in Rajasthan's Sangod.
Needless to say the family and entire village remained in grief for years after jawan’s martyrdom even as the nation stood with the martyrs in solidarity.
However, the marriage and today’s special occasion filled the air with It celebrations after 6 years . The joyful aura returned to the home of Veerangana Madhubala Meena, widow of Hemraj Meena, who was killed in the Pulwama attack in 2019.
As tall a dignitary Om Birla infact forged this bond with the family in grief and fulfilled this honorable commitment , rarely seen with VIPs.
In 2019, Speaker Om Birla visited the bereaved family and assured them that they would never be alone. He promised Madhubala to stand by her like a brother. That promise was not symbolic. In subsequent years, Madhubala would tie a rakhi on Birla's wrist and perform traditional rituals on Raksha Bandhan.
And today, when the most significant event of her daughter's life arrived, Birla came as the dutiful brother, carrying the traditional 'mayra'. It not only included gifts, but blessings and emotional support to his sister's home in Sangod.
Apart from Om Birla, Sangod MLA and Rajasthan Energy Minister Heeralal Nagar participated in the ceremony. As per custom, Birla lovingly draped a chunari over Madhubala, signifying his role as her brother. In return, Madhubala applied battisi, performed aarti, and placed a tilak on Birla's forehead.
The Speaker also paid floral tribute to the statue of Hemraj Meena. "His courage and love for the nation continue to inspire all of us. It's my sacred duty to stand by his family always," Birla said.
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