Heavy Showers Disrupt Ceremony

A mass wedding ceremony under the Chief Minister’s Kanya Vivah Yojana turned chaotic on Sunday after sudden heavy rain caught organisers unprepared, leaving brides and grooms scrambling for cover in an embarrassing scene that drew sharp criticism from senior leaders.

BJP MLA Dipesh Sahu tied the knot with Taruna Sahu, daughter of a driver, as part of the group wedding involving 21 couples. The event, which was attended by Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai and other senior leaders, quickly became a talking point for all the wrong reasons.

Traditional Procession Turns Wet

The celebrations began on a colourful note. All grooms, including the MLA, reached the Circuit House in e-rickshaws. From there, the baraat proceeded in traditional bullock carts amid peri dance performances. However, as the couples sat for the pheras, dark clouds opened up without warning.

With no proper rain cover in place, the situation turned messy. Grooms wearing sehra and brides in their wedding finery had to use whatever was available. Many couples and their families lifted plastic chairs and mattresses from the ground and held them over their heads to shield themselves from the downpour. Some managed with tarpaulin sheets and umbrellas, but the overall arrangement left much to be desired.

Deputy CM Slips, Raman Singh Loses Cool

In a moment caught on camera, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao slipped while trying to board a bullock cart. The visuals added to the embarrassment for the administration.

Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh, a former Chief Minister himself, did not hold back. In the presence of the Chief Minister and cabinet ministers, he publicly reprimanded the collector and superintendent of police. 

“I have never seen such mismanagement in my 15 years as Chief Minister,” Dr. Singh said, adding that officials failed to find an alternative venue even after two and a half hours. He remarked that he rarely speaks on such occasions but felt compelled to do so because the entire cabinet was present yet there was no seriousness among officials.

CM Orders Probe

Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai later acknowledged that the sudden rain had affected the arrangements. He said the programme was meant to bless the newly-wed couples and noted that while the old rest house hall could have been used as an alternative, there was little time. The Chief Minister has asked the commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the matter.

Congress Questions Eligibility

The controversy has given ammunition to the opposition. State Congress president Deepak Baij raised questions over the MLA’s marriage being conducted under the Kanya Vivah Yojana, which is meant for girls from poor and needy families. 

MLA Dipesh Sahu responded by stating that eligibility is based on the bride’s family. He clarified that Taruna belongs to a BPL family and registration was done accordingly.

MLA’s Humble Background

Dipesh Sahu, who taught in a government school for nearly a decade before entering politics, has held several organisational posts in the BJP, including district president of the OBC Morcha. He currently represents the Bemetara assembly segment. 

Taruna Sahu, originally from Birora village in Dhamdha tehsil of Durg district, has completed her MA. Her father Devnarayan Sahu is a driver, and the family currently resides in Bemetara.

MLA Pledges Scholarship Money

In a notable gesture, Sahu announced that he would not keep the financial assistance provided under the scheme for himself. Instead, he will use the amount to support the education of meritorious girl students.

Public Reaction and Significance

The incident has sparked discussion on social media, with images of couples holding chairs and mattresses over their heads going viral. While many appreciated the simplicity of the mass wedding and the MLA’s decision to marry under the government scheme, the poor handling of the rain has drawn criticism.

Mass weddings under the Kanya Vivah Yojana are a flagship programme of the Chhattisgarh government aimed at helping families from economically weaker sections. Such events are usually marked by simplicity and community participation, but Sunday’s episode in Bemetara has highlighted the need for better contingency planning, especially during the monsoon season.

Local residents who attended the event said while the spirit of the ceremony remained intact, the lack of basic arrangements dampened the celebrations.

As the commissioner’s inquiry begins, the episode is likely to serve as a reminder for district administrations to be better prepared for weather uncertainties during large public events.

Wheat procurement in Madhya Pradesh: Dates shifted to 10, 15 April

Madhya Pradesh wheat procurement at the minimum support price (MSP) will now begin in two phases, with the first batch of divisions starting on 10 April and the rest moving to 15 April. The Food and Civil Supplies Department on Monday issued a fresh Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) revising the earlier schedule that had fixed 1 April as the statewide start date. The move is expected to affect registration and logistics for thousands of wheat‑growing farmers across the state’s 10 divisions.

New two‑phase start dates

Under the updated order, wheat procurement will open on 10 April in Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal and Narmadapuram divisions, while the remaining six divisions will follow from 15 April. Officials said the staggered rollout aims to align with storage and transport preparedness, including the availability of silo bags and warehouse capacity. Earlier, the state had announced 1 April for the first four divisions and 7 April for the others, but that window has now been pushed further.

Three dates, one frustration

This is the third time the BJP‑led state government has deferred wheat procurement dates this year. Initially set for 16 March, the start was first moved to 1 April and then recalibrated to 10 and 15 April. The Food and Civil Supplies Department told media that cabinet‑level discussions flagged logistical hurdles, including storage constraints and the regional impact of the West Asia conflict on movement and hardware.

“One date after another”

Congress stalwarts, including former chief minister Digvijaya Singh and former Union minister Arun Yadav, have sharply criticised the repeated rescheduling. Singh, in a social‑media post, said farmers’ months of hard work now lie exposed in fields and threshing yards under open skies, while the government “merely keeps offering one date after another.” Yadav, citing the sequence of 16 March, 1 April and now 10 April, called the state’s stance “insensitive” and “farmer‑unfriendly.”

Impact on farmers and markets

Farmers in districts falling under the 15 April group now face a longer wait to liquidate their wheat, even as market prices hover around or slightly above MSP in many mandis. Trade sources in Bhopal and Indore report that private traders are matching or marginally bettering the MSP, leading some smallholders to sell early despite the risk of moisture‑related losses. The additional delay also raises concerns about storage damage, especially for those without access to covered storage or silo‑bags.

Policy and public‑interest angle

The wheat procurement cycle has become a key indicator of the state’s agricultural outreach, especially after successive governments have used MSP‑linked schemes to insulate farmers from price volatility. With Madhya Pradesh hosting one of the largest Rabi wheat areas in the country, any delay in procurement can quickly turn into a public‑interest story around livelihoods, credit cycles and input‑cost recovery. Opposition parties are already using the date‑shuffle narrative to question the state’s overall preparedness for the Rabi Marketing Season 2026‑27.

What lies ahead

Officials say procurement will remain open through May, matching the broader Rabi marketing window, and urged farmers to complete online registrations before the revised operation window. The state has also floated fresh tenders for additional silo‑bag supplies and scale‑related equipment, a move analysts say may lock in some procurement‑related costs. As the 10 and 15 April deadlines approach, the focus will shift to actual offtake numbers, payment timelines and whether the wheat procurement machinery performs more smoothly than in the initial, repeatedly delayed phase.

Lead: Gandhi Questions Delhi's Mute Stance

In a bold post on March 1, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi slammed the Indian government's silence on the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. She called the Sonia Gandhi Khamenei killing critique a wake-up call, labeling New Delhi's response "not neutrality, but abdication of responsibility." With West Asia boiling amid US-Israel strikes, this hits hard now as India balances ties with Iran, Israel, and Gulf nations.

The Assassination Shockwave

Iran confirmed Khamenei was killed in a targeted US-Israel attack on February 28—right amid diplomatic talks. Gandhi highlighted this as a UN Charter violation, breaching Article 2(4) that bans force against sovereignty without war declaration.

• No formal war declared.
  
  

• Happened during ongoing dialogues.
  
  

• Ignores global norms on heads of state.
  
  

Modi govt only voiced "deep concern" over Iran's UAE retaliation, skipping condemnation of the initial strike.

5 Key Points from Gandhi's Statement

Gandhi outlined sharp concerns:

1. Murder Without War: Undermines international law; India must speak up as world's largest democracy.
   
   

2. Modi Israel Visit: PM backed Netanyahu 48 hours prior, amid Gaza civilian deaths.
   
   

3. Global South Fallout: BRICS partners like Russia-China distance themselves; India's stance risks credibility.
   
   

4. Congress Condemns: Party mourns Iran, Shia community; calls strikes "dangerous."
   
   

5. India's Constitution: Article 51 urges dialogue, non-interference—principles now sidelined.
   
   

India-Iran Ties Under Spotlight

Gandhi recalled Iran's 1994 Kashmir support at UNHRC, Zahedan outpost vs. China-Pakistan corridor, and Vajpayee's 2001 Tehran warmth. With 10 million Indians in Gulf, neutrality protected evacuations in past crises. Growing India-Israel defense-agri-tech bonds are fine, but credibility demands principled calls for restraint.

She warned: Post-independence non-alignment was strategic autonomy, not passivity. Silence on Sonia Gandhi Khamenei killing row erodes trust from smaller nations.

Demand for Parliament Debate

Gandhi urged a session debate on the killing, govt silence, and West Asia instability's threat to India's interests. "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" means justice now, as rules-based order crumbles.

Why It Matters Today: With BRICS summits looming and oil prices spiking, India's India-Iran relations hang in balance. Gandhi's voice pushes for ethical foreign policy amid 2026 global tensions.