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Bengaluru: Lockdown no deterrent - 37 child marriages stopped, four performed

  •   Wed, Apr 29 2020 10:00:39 PM

Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Apr 29: Reports of child marriages having been performed during the period lockdown is in operation in the state have been received. Several marriages were stopped at the last minute with the prompt intervention of government officials while four marriages could not be stopped, it is gathered.

Both Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and children's helpline have received several calls relating to child marriages in the state during the lockdown period. In some cases, teams of officials rushed in time to stop the marriages from going ahead.

Child marriages are still prevalent in some villages because of age-old customs, poverty, and need to meet wishes of elderly family members. Most of the auspicious timings for marriages as per Hindu customs are in the months of April and May. As the officials are busy with work related to the pandemic, some parents could perform marriages of underage children without attracting the attention of the officials.

Mysuru district child protection officer, Divakar, said that 12 child marriages were attempted in the district in one week, and all of them were stopped at the last minute. In 11 of these cases, the parents took the decision to conduct marriage as they felt that protecting these children, all of whom have deserted school, is difficult. In the other case, the marriage was planned to meet the wishes of the grandmother.

One child marriage each was performed in Shivamogga and Shikaripur taluks, and in both cases, Banjara community children were married off. In some cases, girls who were less than 18, had eloped with boys. Such cases were detected and cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act were registered against the boys. Another child marriage was conducted in Tumakuru district and one more in Chikkaballapur. Two child marriages were stopped in Chikkamagaluru district. In Ballari district, four child marriages were stopped in one month.

Women and child department deputy director at Davanagere, Vijayakumar, said that Anganwadi workers have been asked to be more vigilant as child marriages are normally conducted during March, April and May.

Chairman of Karnataka State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, Dr Antony Sebastian, said that the commission immediately responds if it receives complaints of the children facing problems or undergoing atrocities. He said that parents or members of the public can contact 1098 if they have any issues to convey.
  

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Comment on this article

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Thu, Apr 30 2020

    Uneducation is the Biggest Problem ...

    DisAgree [3] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prakash, Mangalore

    Thu, Apr 30 2020

    We are in 20th century. Child marriages should have been stopped many years back. At least for future those who support children marriage should be jailed minimum 14 years.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Roshan Braganza, Mumbai

    Wed, Apr 29 2020

    Even many progressive developed countries have age of marriage at 15 with parents consent , its draconian to punish whole family just because l girl is below 18 . The states machinery has to be used towards combating covid 19 , not against people s practises .

    DisAgree [14] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • FD, Mangalore

    Thu, Apr 30 2020

    @ Roshan Braganza

    I presume you mean USA. Just because some developed country is doing something bad and its allowed in their law doesn't mean the rest of the world should follow.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Roshan Braganza, Mumbai

    Thu, Apr 30 2020

    @FD , mangalore ,
    First of all, girl or boy above puberty is technically not a child , we can learn this wisdom from Islamic countries , they kept age of puberty ==age of marriage , and even catholic canon laws where age of marriage for girls is 14 and boys 16 ( which many of us don't know ! ).

    If you the read the above article clearly , its mentioned many under 18 girls eloped and had affairs , whats so bad when families persuaded them for marriage ?! , or you mean to say , intimacy below 18 is ok but marriage below is wrong ?! , again thats illogical .

    DisAgree [4] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rajesh, Mangalore

    Thu, Apr 30 2020

    DEar Roshan, This planet has fixed physical space and fixed resources. early marriages contribute to the population problem. As the span of procreation increases, more number of children are born especially among some cultures. The more the population more will be the pollution. The physical spaces per capita gets dwindled. More people will be jostling in the small spaces in the cities. The water problem will be acute. allready our wells and rivers have started drying up increasing civic challenges.


    The Men Age of 21 is fixed considering that this is the age when a man can reasonably economically sustain his family. Most of the education ends at 21. Similarly education of many girls are cut shor because of marriage. Many girls who would want better education are married off against their will.

    DisAgree Agree [4] Report Abuse

  • Roshan Braganza, Mumbai

    Thu, Apr 30 2020

    @rajesh , mangalore , i have to disagree with you .
    First of all having early marriage does not mean having more children ! , its just that you are committed to one partner (husband or wife ) right from young age . You must be knowing pre marital intimacies r very rampant now a days , and even before 18 , our Catholic values gives utmost importance to virginity , so to avoid fornications early marriage is must .

    I agree education is needed , but it does not mean only macalay teaching ( schools and college's ) is education , even being a house wife or culinary skills also matters , the entire nation rests on housewives who work 24 *7 .

    and macalay education can even be continued after marriage , instead of having bf or gf at school's and colleges and then marry someone else after 21 is not ethnically right.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [2] Report Abuse

  • FD, Mangalore

    Thu, Apr 30 2020

    Dear Roshan, two wrongs don't make a right. The youngsters committed a mistake by eloping which is wrong but they have chosen to ruin their lives. I have no problem in getting such idiots married or applying the full force of the law on them. My problem is with those people who get their children married at a young age while they are not in a position to say no. These children at school and college going age are fully dependent on their parents and do not have the option of saying no to them. They deserve to right to work towards their dreams. Just because some Islamic countries and the Catholic Canon Laws say its fine doesnt mean its morally right, not least on the ones this is forced upon. Just because someone achieves puberty doesnt mean they should start procreating, the society should allow them to mature mentally and make their own decisions.

    And do you mean to say working women do not contribute to the nation? I do not know about you but men who have actual respect for women (not the kind where you think you have respect for them but wont let them make a simple decision about their lives) share the household chores and look after the children together. A lot of my female classmates and friends who have always been toppers at district and state levels are now sitting at home cooking and cleaning the house. Nothing wrong in this if it is what you want. But I know a few where the families have made them stay at home after marriage. Dont get carried away in your 'housewives work 24/7 and build the nation' slogan and take away all the dreams of women in our country. Let them go for their dreams, who knows, the cure to some deadly disease might be stuck in the head of some housewife somewhere whose husband isnt letting her work.

    And really? Bf/Gf and fornication? Thats your argument for child marriage and ruining the dreams and lives of countless children? The ones who go on to achieve anything significant after child marriage is an exception and not the norm.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Report Abuse


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