Turn to any matrimonial column in India and you will see people going for the same old caste-religion-colour equation preference. However, ‘the times they are a-changin’ and it seems political ideologies are now becoming factors too.
Recently, a Bengali newspaper published a matrimonial ad seeking a “communist groom” – perhaps a first-of-its-kind – which is now grabbing eyeballs.
The ad was put up by Kolkata resident, Dipatanj Dasgupta for his sister in the 50-year-old newspaper Ganashakti, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
The ad says the 25-year-old woman is well-educated and holds Masters degree in Sanskrit and Bachelors degree in Education. Her family is looking for a groom for her who should be a supporter of leftist ideas, i.e leftist or communist, says this ABP news report.
Matrimonial Ad In WB Seeks Communist Groomhttps://t.co/aAaP6vP91e #CommunistGroom #MatrimonialAd pic.twitter.com/pBCmjZjwa0
— kolkata24x7 English (@kolkata24x7eng) May 1, 2017
ABP quoted Dipatanj Dasgupta as telling BBC, “We believe that the people of Left ideology are not narrow-minded. They are interested in every area of life and have a high thinking. This is the atmosphere of our home and we want the same at her in-laws’ place as well. We want a boy for her who is proud to call himself a leftist.”
Calling it a unique ad, Associate Professor of South Asian University, Ravi Kumar, told News 18: “This is the very first time I heard about this kind of advertisement in which a desire to marry a bridegroom with a particular political ideology has been expressed. It reflects the cultural development of society.”