Following Pakistan's lead - now Indians seek to curb lavish weddings

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Indian weddings: Curb sought on excessive spending


The proposed bill will not only limit the number of guests and dishes served to avoid waste, but also put a "tax" on the most extravagant newlyweds.
Those who spend over 500,000 rupees ($7,500; £6,000) will have to give 10% of the overall cost to poorer brides to help them pay for their weddings.
It comes amid rising anger over the huge sums being shelled out by some.

In November, the five-day wedding of businessman and ex-state minister G Janardhana Reddy's daughter, Brahmani, with an estimated cost of about 5bn rupees ($74m; £59m), prompted outrage as millions of Indians struggled with a cash flow crisis.
Among the extravagances were gold-plated invitation cards fitted with LCD screens, costing 10m rupees.

MP Ranjeet Ranjan, who is proposing the Marriages (Compulsory Registration and Prevention of Wasteful Expenditure) Bill, 2016, told Indian news agency PTI weddings had become "more about showing off your wealth" and not about the institution.
"As a result, poor families are under tremendous social pressure to spend more," she said. "This is needed to be checked as it is not good for society at large."
The proposal could be taken up as a private members bill in the next session of the country's Lok Sabha, or lower house.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-38986238

Was it Nawaz Sharif or Musharraf's military govt that introduced measures to curb lavish weddings a few years ago? I think that measure probably was met with mixed reception, although most would agree that in a developing country it's not a good precedent that people feel obliged to host extravagant parties they probably can't afford.

What is your opinion? Is this a good move for India or should people be free to spend as they wish?

 

[WebGuru]

IIRC Pervez Ellahi introduced it when he was CM of Punjab and Shehbaz also followed it but it remained only on papers never saw it in action. One dish rule is seen as an insult by our elite and middle class on Valima.

 

[JaDed]

Like how u have given it a tabloid headline on ur own,think of working in the Sun?

The gov trying their best to keep the heat between the pro bjp and anti bjp.

The wastage of food does occur which is where they should had acted on but they are cutting down on massive economic provider for event management,their employees and what not all those were booming until demonization probably be much more angry if the bill gets passed.

 

[Salman]

Regarding the 10% tax, it's a good initiative, however it won't stop people with money showing off their spending power on weddings, only make it a bigger status symbol if you can afford to do so.

However, ban never really worked well in Karachi, you just needed to bribe the local police to stay away if held in a tent or feed them well when the patrol arrived.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Like how u have given it a tabloid headline on ur own,think of working in the Sun?

The gov trying their best to keep the heat between the pro bjp and anti bjp.

The wastage of food does occur which is where they should had acted on but they are cutting down on massive economic provider for event management,their employees and what not all those were booming until demonization probably be much more angry if the bill gets passed.

I'm surprised you know so much about British newspapers being based in Chennai, but anyway, of course the first thing which came into my mind when I read this story was - wow, we have been down this road before. I just thought with Pakistan having already tried something similar there might be some insight from those who witnessed it in action.

 

[LastManstanding]

How is the government going to calculate the total expenditure on a wedding? It is quite common in India to have transactions without receipts.

Also, who is the government to tell me how can I spend my hard earned money? I pay taxes honestly and I should be free to spend the rest however I wish. The 10% clause for poorer girls is just a crafty plan to muzzle dissent voices, like the "soldier card" BJP came up with during demonetization. And how can I be sure that the 10% which I will give for the weddings of poorer brides wont end up in the hands of middle man and the corrupt officials.

It is like the "Swachh Bharat" gimmick of the government. They made so much noise about cleaning India,with Modi posing with broomstick and ended up imposing cess on the public.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Pappu Yadav's wife's private bill.I would be shocked if it reaches anywhere near frutition.

 

[gkb101277867]

What exactly is a 1 dish rule? One dish per course? So I take it you can't have pilau rice, chicken karahi and naan as that would be classed as 2 main courses?

 

[Napa]

Was it Nawaz Sharif or Musharraf's military govt that introduced measures to curb lavish weddings a few years ago? I think that measure probably was met with mixed reception, although most would agree that in a developing country it's not a good precedent that people feel obliged to host extravagant parties they probably can't afford.

What is your opinion? Is this a good move for India or should people be free to spend as they wish?

Ever since I was a kid, and that is many decades back, India has had laws (not always enforced) banning lavish weddings. In fact the Guest Control Order dates from the 1960s.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...n-into-frugal-affairs/articleshow/8031532.cms

 

[JaDed]

I'm surprised you know so much about British newspapers being based in Chennai, but anyway, of course the first thing which came into my mind when I read this story was - wow, we have been down this road before. I just thought with Pakistan having already tried something similar there might be some insight from those who witnessed it in action.

I obviously have family based out of London, as other have quoted already how will they calculate 10% of it for giving tax ,nothing makes sense they have just provided an argument for India to fight it out.

Also Pakistani posters have provided the view as to what happens in South Asia when such laws come into place.

 

[JaDed]

I don't understand GOI they want investment but they want to limit the Indians from spending on "weddings" which in turn helps the local economy so they want Indians just to spend on electronics etc?I can already see social media fights on this directionless move being praised,instead they should had come out with some system or scheme to get the food to be distributed across the poor a proper channel or something.