The Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS), founded by former late rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar, has started a safe house in Satara district for sheltering inter-caste and inter-religious marriage couples. According to the MANS, inter-caste marriage couples are always at the receiving end of the families and the society, the members of whom go to any extent to settle scores with those who marry the person of their choice, an act of personal freedom.

MANS president Dr Hamid Dabholkar said that it is the first such facility termed as a safe house for the inter-caste couples which will provide them safety and security from those who are inimical to their marriage.

In a release issued, MANS stated that it has been observed that in states like Punjab and Haryana, intercaste marriage couples end up losing their lives after they don’t obey the society diktat and marry outside their caste. In such states, the government runs safe houses for such couples and the Satara safe house has been modelled on those lines. During their initial years of marriage, the couples are threatened and even can’t visit their native villages.

Sometimes they are beaten up and even murdered for revenge and false status as claimed by their relatives and family. The present safe house has been built by Dr Dabholkar on the land owned by MANS activist Shankar Kanse and the programme for safety and shelter for newlywed couples is being run by Adhar Sanstha, a social organization.

According to the Supreme Court order in January, the Home Department has directed that a committee should be formed in each district to provide protection to inter-caste and inter-religious married couples. It has also been directed to provide safety shelter centres to such couples in every district. According to the MANS, the government’s decision will have a positive impact on society.