MYSURU: An unusual plea seeking govt intervention to address the growing difficulty faced by unmarried men in finding brides was among the petitions submitted during the Prajaseva programme attended by chief minister DK Shivakumar at Periyapatna.Shivakumar, a youth from Periyapatna, told chief minister that many men, particularly sons of farmers, were finding it increasingly difficult to get married despite working hard and owning agricultural land. He said men in the 35-40 age group were remaining unmarried as families were reluctant to give their daughters in marriage to those dependent on agriculture.He said the problem had caused considerable disappointment among parents as well as the unmarried men. He pointed out that many families preferred grooms working in offices or govt jobs, while farming was increasingly being viewed as an unattractive livelihood. He urged govt to introduce a special scheme, on the lines of its existing welfare initiatives, to address the issue, which has gone viral on social media.He stressed that the problem was not confined to Periyapatna but was being faced by unmarried men in several parts of the State. He also expressed concern that prolonged frustration over the lack of marriage prospects was pushing some youths into severe emotional distress. The unusual petition initially drew laughter from some of the dignitaries on the stage, including the CM.However, the villager immediately appealed to them not to treat his plea as a joke and requested them to understand the seriousness of the issue.Responding to the villager, CM said the issue should not be dismissed lightly and acknowledged that the preference for salaried employment over agriculture had contributed to changing marriage expectations in rural areas. He agreed with the concern raised by the villager and, after asking his name, told him in a lighter vein that govt would name a scheme after him.Periyapatna Tahsildar Nisarga Priya said around 1,400 petitions were received during the Prajaseva programme. “The petition submitted by Shivakumar regarding the difficulties faced by unmarried men was among them. We will discuss the issue with senior officials and decide on the course of action,” she said.The issue had earlier taken an unusual turn in Maraliga village of Maddur taluk, where more than 30 unmarried youths submitted a petition to the gram panchayat seeking construction of a mutt for them, reflecting their frustration over their inability to find marriage partners. Similarly, around 80 unmarried youths from Averehalli in Mandya taluk undertook a foot pilgrimage to the Male Mahadeshwara Temple in Chamarajanagar district, hoping that prayers at the temple would help them find suitable brides.
