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After boy’s complaint, Dausa administration stops child marriage
The marriage of a 19-year-old boy was stopped by the Dausa district administration in Rajasthan on Tuesday, four days after he sought intervention from the state child rights commission saying he does not want to marry and wants to pursue his college education, officials said
The marriage of a 19-year-old boy was stopped by the Dausa district administration in Rajasthan on Tuesday, four days after he sought intervention from the state child rights commission saying he does not want to marry and wants to pursue his college education, officials said.
The legal age of marriage for boys is 21 and for girls, it is 18 years.
The boy, a resident of Sikrai town in Dausa district, is Class-XII pass out and was to be unwillingly married on Tuesday to a girl of his parents’ choice. The boy approached the commission last Friday saying he want to study further and join the Indian Army.
Following the complaint, the commission directed the Dausa district administration to take action and stop the marriage.
Dausa collector, Peeyush Samariya, said on Sunday, a police team was sent to the boy’s residence and both the families were told that they cannot hold the marriage as one of them was not of the eligible age to get married. The girl was of the same age as him, therefore, she was eligible for marriage.
A compliance report was submitted in the local court as the action was taken under the Prohibition of the Child Marriage Act. “It was surprising as for the first time a boy had called authorities to get the marriage stopped. He acted pro-active to stop the marriage,” the collector said
Chairperson, Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Sangeeta Beniwal said, “In my tenure as the chairperson, and even in general, this probably is the first time that a boy has approached the commission to stop his marriage.”
She said through social media, he got her mobile number and called her to help him stop his marriage on November 30. The boy told that he wants to prepare for the army and has made all attempts to convince his parents but failed. She said the boy was not willing to get married till he settled professionally.
Beniwal said the boy asked her to send the police as early as possible to stop the marriage. “He had sent his Class-XII mark sheet to confirm his age, and also shared that the bride is also of his age,” she said, adding that the boy also shared his wedding card.
Kriti Bharti, who runs a non-government organization (NGO) working against child marriage, said this is not the first time a boy has approached to stop his marriage. “Over 50 times, roughly, boys have approached me to get their marriage stopped. In child marriages, both girl and boy are victims, but certainly, the girls are more active to approach,” she said.
Bharti recalled, “In 2012, a 14-year-old boy had to stop his marriage. When we reached the venue in Jodhpur, the family members presented some other boy but luckily we had his photo. Later in the night, the family tried again to marry him, he informed, and our team rushed again late night.”
