‘Will Himanta Biswa look after married girls?’ Owaisi on child marriage action

AIMIM chief Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government in Assam is biased against the Muslim and accused the government’s latest crackdown on child marriage as communal.

“Now that you are arresting the men, who will now look after those married girls? Will the CM look after them? For the last six years, the BJP has been in power. It is their failure then,” Owaisi said.

Till Saturday morning, 2,170 persons across the state have been arrested and 4,074 child marriage cases have been registered. Among the arrested, there were 52 priests and Qazis who reportedly solemnised these marriages.

” Thousands of husbands will be arrested in the next five-six months as it is a crime to have sexual relations with a girl below 14 years of age, even if he is her legally wed husband… Many (men who marry girls) could face life imprisonment,” the chief minister said last week announcing the crackdown.

The crackdown has been taken up under the instruction of chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who asked the police to ensure zero tolerance for these underage cases. Accordingly, the state cabinet passed the decision to book POCSO cases where girls below 14 years of age have been wedded off.

For 14 to 18 years of age group, cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 are being registered. All these marriages will be declared illegal, the Cabinet decided. If the groom is also below 14 years of age, then they will be sent to a reform house.

With the husbands being arrested, women have come out in protest alleging that they are now left with no earning member. Some alleged that rampant arrests were made and those who filed complaints to the police against any case of child marriage were also arrested.

AIUDF has also opposed the crackdown and said sending people to jail without creating awareness is wrong. AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam said AIUDF is also against child marriage. “But the government is not focusing on steps like spreading awareness, increasing literacy rate. Sending people to jail in name of child marriage is wrong. The Assam Govt has still not made rules to implement the Prevention of Child Marriages Act,” Aminul said.