Telangana: Child marriages go on despite the law

HYDERABAD: Child marriages have been a pressing issue since a long time even after piecing together laws to arrest them. Shamshabad and Hayathnagar in the city have the dubious distinction of leading the chart. Apart from illiteracy and economical reasons, parents, who conduct child marriages, state that they are opting for the nuptial knot for their children at a tender age so as to prevent them from crossing the boundaries of caste.

“We have been vigilant and have been following up the cases reported to us. In the past 10 months, we have averted about 12 child marriages in the Shamshabad area,” said PV Padmaja, deputy commissioner of police, Shamshabad.  A city-based NGO has tipped off more than 50 child marriages in the last four months in and around the city. Child marriages take the life out of girls. “Child marriage is a curse on a girl. It causes a major disruption in the girl’s life, health and education. And she is literally stigmatised,” said V. Padmavathi, a member of the child welfare committee for Ranga Reddy district. “The poor child is unaware of what she is being forced into. We, however, rescue the girl either before the marriage or after it,” Padmavathi added.

Besides economic reasons, caste also plays a role in the increasing number of child marriages. Some parents marry their children at a young age to prevent them from falling in love with persons from other castes. The parents believe that child marriages make their children safe from inter-caste romance. “Parents believe that if she elopes with someone or get romantically involved with a person from another caste it brings shame to the family,” said Achyuta Rao, chief functionary of a city-based NGO for children. Child marriages also end the academic career of a girl. A member of the child welfare committee said, “Even if the girl is good at studies, the parents force her into marriage which will put an end to her academic life."

Awareness can play major role:

Awareness campaigns can play a major role in curbing child marriages. The government should kickstart this drive. Moreover, strict implementation of the laws also can prevent this social menace. Social activists feel that awareness campaigns should cover the parents. “The parent should know the importance of education in a girl's life. Her life is completely ruined when parents perform underage marriage,” said an official of a city-based NGO.

The first step that the child welfare committees takes when tipped off about a child marriage is to seek the help of the child protection unit, which, in turn, informs the police and averts the social disaster. Later, the girl is taken to a shelter house till the proposed wedding date. The parents are counselled and kept under surveillance for a year and a declaration is taken from them that they will not repeat it in futute.

“In case the marriage takes place, we approach the in-laws and rescue the girl. If the minor girl is sexually abused, the ‘husband’ is booked under the Pocso Act and the girl is shifted to a shelter house,” added  Padmavathi, a member of the child welfare committee for Ranga Reddy district. Proper guidance is needed for parents to look after the child after this traumatising incident at a young age.