Girijan Minister ostracised for bending rule

Girijans are as tough as any as regards their customs and traditional practices. Any violation of the practices spells ostracism. Odisha Girijan Minister Sudham Marandi did not understand the pain of ostracism till the custom caught up with him. Marandi performed the marriage of his daughter, Dr Sanjivani, with the Biju Janata Dal student wing leader, Sunil Sarangi, who is a Brahmin, recently. At this the Santhal community elders met and decided to banish Marandi from the community for the sin of performing his daughter's wedding outside the Girijan community. The elders also banished three other people who are said to have helped Marandi with the alliance. It was at this point that Marandi was reminded of his own principle for getting the then Minister, Chaitanya Prasad Manjhi, whose two daughters had married outside the Santhal community, into trouble. At that time, Marandi had ensured that the former Minister Manjhi was not only ostracised by the community, he was also externed from the town.