Farmer’s son does not get first-rate girl to marry: Maharashtra MLA

AMRAVATI: An independent MLA from Amravati, Devendra Bhuyar, was embroiled in controversy after he claimed a farmer's son has to settle for an inferior bride as best-looking girls prefer to marry those with a steady job. A video recently went viral showing the Warud-Morshi MLA, a supporter of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, allegedly making the comments while talking about farmers' woes at a gathering in Warud tehsil.
"If a girl is beautiful, she will not like a person like you and me, but she will opt for a person having a steady job (while choosing her husband)," he said.
"Girls who are at number two," that is, who are somewhat less good-looking, prefer someone who runs a grocery shop or paan kiosk. A number three girl would like (to marry) the son of a farmer," he said, adding only girls who are ‘at the bottom of the lot' marry a boy from a farming family. The children of such marriage too lack good looks, he added.
Congress leader and former Maharashtra women and child development minister Yashomati Thakur slammed Bhuyar for using such language while talking about women.
"Ajit Pawar and those in power should keep their MLAs under control. No one will tolerate such categorisation of women," said Thakur, an MLA from the same district.
She emphasized that while the government is promoting women's empowerment through schemes like ‘Ladki Bahin', leaders from their own party are undermining these efforts with inappropriate comments.
In response to the controversy, Bhuyar defended his comments, clarifying that the statement was made during a 2019 farmers' conference in Multai, Madhya Pradesh, where he highlighted the financial struggles of farmers. He explained that his remarks were focused on the economic hardships faced by farmers, where they struggle to find suitable matches for their sons.