A mass wedding ceremony for 243 pairs was organised at the Hatipota tea garden, 145 km from Siliguri, by Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Over 12,000 people blessed the pairs for a happy married life. Most of the pairs belong to Vanvasi communities of Hatipota, Haskhoa, Alipurdwar, Gayarkata, Shamkutala area tea estates where the Christian missionaries are indulging in conversion activities among the poor Vanvasis. Shri Champat Rai, joint organising secretary of VHP, and Shri Dhruvdutt Chaudhari, president of North Bengal, VHP, were also present on the occasion.
