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| Child marriage rampant in Rajasthan |
| Ironically many lawmakers in the state were themselves married as minors.
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| INDIA
, 19-April-2007
3:51:37 AM |
| ''Aakhaa Teej'' traditionally is considered the most auspicious day for weddings. But in Rajasthan it's a day when countless child marriages are held in violation of the Child Marriage Prevention Act.
Ironically many lawmakers in the state were themselves married as minors.
With one out of every three MLAs in the state married while under age it's hardly a surprise that few are keen to implement the laws to curb Child Marriage.
It's not just locals even prominent politicians are involved in this practice.
Sixty-five of the state's 200 MLAs were married off as minors including five ministers of the Raje government.
They have their own take on their personal trauma.
I got married to obey my parents. I had joined the RSS and they thought I might turn into a saint, so they married me, said Mahavir Jain, BJP Chief Whip, Rajasthan.
I was just a child then. I feel some officials should have come to counsel my parents as they are illiterate, said Madan Dilawar, Social Welfare Minister.
Social tradition
Marrying girls below 18 is illegal. But 48 per cent of girls in Rajasthan are married by the age of 15.
Politicians claim it's social tradition and the poverty of parents that force child marriage. But experts say it's the pursuit of votes that prevents a check.
Politicians fear that if they fight against this tradition, they will lose votes. That's why they do nothing to stop sarpanches and caste leaders who support child marriage but are crucial to get votes in rural areas, said Professor Pawan Surana, Social Scientist, Rajasthan University.
With rulers reluctant not even a dozen cases are registered in a year for violating Child Marriage laws though hundreds of minors are married annually.
While socio-economic factors are significant, it's the lack of political will that enables child marriages to remain rampant in Rajasthan.
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