Assam government is determined to eradicate the century old menace of child marriage by 2026. State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party led government in Dispur is ready to fight against the social evil with its full political will. He stated that the child marriage is a social scourge, and the government is committed to ensure the evil practice is stopped. In fact, Sarma attracted international media headlines with a major crackdown on child marriages since 3 February last. Assam police picked up over 3000 individuals (including 93 females) following 4,235 registered first information reports across the State. Most of them are still in judicial custody (temporary jails), some got bail, and a few remain in the police custody. The arrested individuals include mostly the accused and perpetrators, but they are not targeted because of their religious affiliations, asserted Sarma, adding that the ongoing drive against this social menace will continue till 2026, the year Assam is scheduled to go for the next legislative assembly elections. He also claimed that the crackdown has positively impacted the society as several families lately cancelled pre-scheduled marriages of underage brides (also grooms).
Pointing out that the child marriage is banned in India for nearly a century as it always threatens the lives, well-being and futures of girls, Sarma announced his firm decision on 26 January to erase the social menace. Later the State cabinet approved the proposal to take stern actions against those men who married underage girls under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Recently, a cabinet sub-committee for taking care of child marriage victims was also formed. Recent data from the National Family Health Survey reflects that Assam continues to record a higher number of child marriages as well as cases of teenage pregnancy than all India levels. It is established that the child marriage in the State has directly influenced the mother & infant mortality rates. Assam loses around 195 mothers among 100,000 during the child births (national average is 97 deaths per 100,000 live births). Similarly, it records 36 infant deaths per 1,000 live births (where the national average is 28). The drive against child marriages, though logically supported by every conscious citizen, invited massive public outrages too from different corners and at least two victims of circumstance committed suicides fearing impending police actions. Hundreds of young women (some may have attained minimum legal age of marriage i.e. 18 years) gathered in the police stations crying for their husbands’ release. Many lodged protest demonstrations against the administrative action towards their ‘innocent’ husbands and relatives.
Opposition parties including the Congress, Asom Jatiya Parishad, All India United Democratic Front, etc also criticized the action terming it an abuse of law for political gains. AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi came down heavily against the BJP led government for the mass arrests concerning the unlawful marriages. Even the higher court in Guwahati criticized the government for detaining all these people with non-bailable charges under the POCSO act, rape, etc and creating havoc in their private lives. Granting the anticipatory bail to a group of individuals over the crime, Gauhati High Court observed that there was no need for custodial interrogation of the accused persons. It termed the mass arrest of individuals as a bad idea considering the children and elder members in their families. The court emphasized a society-driven change over the issue rather than adopting punitive actions.
Unmoved by the criticism, Sarma claimed that the stringent step, first of its kind in India by any State government, received necessary support from various sections in the society including the religious minority leaders. With an aim to pursue zero tolerance against this social menace, he emphasized on a robust ecosystem in Assam against the illegal practice of child marriage. The energetic leader rightly stated that the government and law enforcement agencies along with the village heads, self-help groups, etc should be made responsible in the ecosystem. After a massive awareness drive, the conscious people will hopefully join in the mission.
Eradicating menace of child marriage
