On April Fool's day this year, the popular Dubai airline Emirates had its followers in splits when it announced the launch of a special Wedding Service for those who want to tie the knot at 40,000 feet. With the promise of an Airbus 320, the announcement tricked people on social media. While one asked: "Is there a link for more information and pricing about this somewhere". Another Twitter user added: "Imagine working on creating this project. Massive excitement @emirates are you hiring?"
This report highlighted by The National News caught the eyes of many, and it's difficult to ignore that it may have ignited a spark or two of mischievous acts in a few. An infamous couple of India currently tried to do something similar yet on a much larger and unwise scale causing unwanted attention to their newly nuptial life.
On May 23, Rakesh and Dakshina from Madurai boarded a charter Spice Jet flight with 160 odd relatives, a professional camera team dressed in their traditional best to put a knot to their love. The idea was to get married right above the Meenakshi Amman temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in Madurai.
Exploiting a loophole in lockdown norms
The idea was also to escape lockdown-like restrictions currently prevalent in Tamil Nadu which allows a maximum of 50 people to attend the wedding with mandatory eRegistration for vehicles.
The advisory issued on the website reads, "The eRegistration shall be made only by a person (applicant) who is directly connected to the marriage (like the bride, groom, mother, father, mother-in-law, father-in-law, etc.). The applicant's name must be printed on the wedding card and a copy of the wedding card has to be necessarily uploaded."
According to the government, in case of eRegistration made by giving false information or documents, or more than one eRegistration made for the same event, the applicant is liable for action (both civil and criminal) under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and/or Disaster Management Act, 2005.
While the government thought it had done its job right by locking all corners, it had barely expected an exception to their rule such as a wedding in the skies.
The viral video that shows the couple getting married leaked on Twitter and created quite a stir across the nation. While some called the couple, intelligent, innovative, adventurous others reacted stating modern problems get modern solutions.
A Twitter user reacted: "Why isn't anyone charging them under the epidemic act? These people who were cramped inside the flight do not stay inside. They go back to their places and spread the virus."
Another user, advocate Prashant Kanha wrote: "Marriage in a plane to duck covid social gathering restrictions: SOCIALLY; smart and innovative, but, LEGALLY; mischief and illegal act. Section 188 IPC and 51 NDMA is applicable.
As soon as the matter went viral, DGCA ordered an inquiry from the airline leading to the de-rostering of the crew present in the aircraft. SpiceJet has also been asked to lodge complaints against those flouting COVID norms during the incident.
COVID situation in TN
Tamil Nadu extended its lockdown from May 24 for another week. During the announcement as reported by The New Indian Express on May 22, Chief Minister M K Stalin said, "For the convenience of the public, few relaxations were announced earlier. However, using those relaxations and thinking of the lockdown period as a holiday period, many were spotted roaming outside unnecessarily. This is not a holiday period... We are in a pandemic... It is saddening to see that a few people do not realize that. We roped in celebrities to spread awareness about Covid-19. There is fear about the virus in the speech of the public, but it is not reflected in their actions."
