Rajasthan's child marriage law sparks concerns, NGOs write to CM Ashok Gehlot

Several NGO working for the welfare of women and against child marriage have written to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, objecting to the state government's Marriages Amendment Bill 2021, which says that marriages including those of minors should be registered.

As per the bill, the parents or guardians must register the marriages in case of minors.

Earlier this month, the Bill was passed through voice vote, and sought to amend the 2009 Act to make registration of all marriages within 30 days mandatory. The BJP, principal Opposition party in Rajasthan, maintains that the bill which was passed by the state Assembly, will legalize child marriage in the state.

This has led to a huge uproar in the state and those fighting against child marriages and girls who had been victims of child marriage say this is a retrograde Bill.

Questions have been raised if the Rajasthan government is giving backdoor legitimacy to child marriages in the state by passing the Bill.

Meanwhile, the government says it is following a Supreme Court directive which says all marriages should be registered and it's securing the rights of child widows and even children born of child marriages.

Activists like Kriti Bhati who have prevented 1,500 child marriages from taking place in Rajasthan and annulled over 43, says the new act, by making it compulsory to register all marriages including those of minors, is a step backwards.

"Women are considered like property and men have a right over their women in our society. By allowing the registration of child marriages, you are further putting a stamp on it. You are also endorsing sexual offences with minors, teenage pregnancy and a host of other problems," she says.

The government on the other hand thinks that by registering all marriages, they are merely protecting the rights of the children who are part of a social practice that still exists in Rajasthan.

The Child Rights Commission Chairperson Sangeeta Beniwal points out that the government is not validating or encouraging child marriages at all.

"If someone is a child bride, and for example, gets widowed, then how does one ensure they get rights in their married home? What about children born out of child marriages? This is to protect the rights of women it's not to encourage child marriage in any way," she says.