In a case that can be called reverse casteism, a tribal politician and BJD leader in Odisha has been Ostracised from his tribe for marrying a non-tribal. Former MP Pradeep Majhi and his family have been expelled from the community a day after he married Sushree Sangeeta Sahoo, a non-tribal woman.
The decision was taken by the central committee of the Bhatara Samaj a day after the wedding in Goa. Angered by the Tribal BJD leader marrying a non-Tribal, a meeting of the committee was held in Dhamnaguda, as per reports.
At the meeting, the central committee of the organization decided to ostracise Pradeep Majhi and his family. The committee decided that Pradeep Majhi violated the norms of the tribe by marrying outside his community. As per the ruling, Majhi and his family can’t participate in an events of the Bhatara Samaj for 12 years. Neither will be any Bhatara tribals allowed to attend any events at Pradeep Majhi’s family.
The tribal leaders accused Majhi of considering himself above the Adivasi community, saying that he has brought disrespect to Bhatara Samaj by ignoring tribal rules and customs.
Speaking to OTV, a tribal leader of the Bhatara Samaj stated, “Pradeep Majhi and his family are thinking themselves above our tribal customs and rules. Earlier they also got his sister Sanju marry a Brahmin man in Koraput Jagannath Temple. Now, Pradeep has gone to Goa and married this girl who is not a part of tribal community. This is unacceptable for us.”
Pradeep Majhi married Sangeeta Sahoo at a private ceremony in Goa on Thursday. Majhi had won the Nabarangpur seat during 2009 Lok Sabha election on a Congress ticket. He left Congress and joined Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in 2021, and lost the 2024 elections on a BJD ticket.
Sangeeta studied journalism and mass communication from Utkal University in Bhubaneswar. She has worked with a few vernacular newspapers and television channels.
