After Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a well-planned crackdown against child marriage in the state by introducing strict measures and punishment, the state authorities have started acting strongly against those supporting marriages involving minors. So far, over 2,000 people have been arrested while more than four thousand cases have been filed in this regard.
On January 23, the Assam government said that legal action against men who marry girls below 14 years of age would be initiated under the POCSO Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. The decision to act on child marriages came against the backdrop of a cabinet meeting where the National Family Health Survey (NHFS) 5 by the state government was analysed and discussed.
As Assam continue to act against child marriages, here’s what happened so far:
Himanta Sarma govt launches anti-child marriage operation
On January 23, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter to announce strict measures against child marriages and people involved in such arrangements.
“In today’s Assam Cabinet, we took a slew of decisions about curbing child marriage, reduction of IMR & MMR, promoting police personnel permanently injured in the line of duty, recognition to services of contractual teachers, creating centres for sporting excellence, etc,” Sarma tweeted.
The chief minister added that his government was launching a massive crackdown for the next 15 days and the priority will be governance and taking sustained necessary steps.
Assam announces strict measures against child marriage
Under the anti-child marriage campaign, the police have been asked to take action against persons who violate the rules and warn people against the raids and FIR would be lodged under POCSO Act in situations where the girl’s age is under 14 years.
Assam CM also expressed concerns and explained how the Centre’s survey, conducted between 2019 and 2020, revealed an “alarming” 11.7 per cent of underage mothers or pregnant girls in the state.
Woman dies by suicide
A woman allegedly died by suicide over fears her father would be arrested as she was married off when she was a minor. Another woman came to a police station and threatened to die by suicide unless her husband and father, who were arrested, were released.
The woman was a mother of two children and her husband died of Covid-19.
Massive protests against state authorities
In Dhubri district’s Tamarhat, hundreds of women surrounded a police station and blocked the highway in protest against the arrested of a man on charges of child marriage. Men and women across the state have raised their voices against the state government’s strict actions against those involved in marriages where the bride and groom were or are minors.
2000 arrests, more than 4,000 legal cases
So far, over 2,000 people have been arrested in the massive crackdown on child marriages in Assam. According to media reports, a total of 2,044 people, including those who married minors and Hindu and Muslim priests who conducted such weddings, were arrested from across the state.
