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At 16.8%, teenage pregnancy ratio is quite alarming, says Assam CM
According to the police, most of the cases have been registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012
Amid protest against the mass arrests of those involved in child marriage in Assam, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday expressed concerns over the alarming rate of teenage pregnancy in the state and shared a report on Twitter asserting that the crackdown would further continue.
Sarma shared a detailed report on Twitter showing the rate of teenage pregnancy in 2022 at 16.8%. According to the report, of the total 620,867 total pregnancies reported in the year 2022, 104,264 were teenage mothers.
“Our drive against child marriage is for public health & public welfare as teenage pregnancy ratio in Assam is quite alarming - 16.8%,” Sarma wrote on Twitter amid the reports.
He asserted that the drive to end the social menace would go on till the next assembly polls.
Also Read: Assam child marriage crackdown: 2,278 held in 3 days, Opposition calls it ‘public stunt’
Barpeta tops the list with 28.7%, followed by Dhubri and South Salmara (27.9%) and Goalpara (24.1%). Tinsukia registered the lowest rate of teenage pregnancy with 8.4%, according to the chief minister.
In another tweet, Sarma revealed that the state police have so far arrested 2,441 individuals in three days. ‘’Total arrest so far - 2441. Crackdown against child marriage continues in Assam,’’ he wrote.
He also appealed to the people of Assam to cooperate with the state government in controlling this.
“We’re resolved to continue this drive until we fulfil our objective. I urge the people to cooperate with us in controlling this harmful trend,” Sarma added.
The police crackdown against child marriage began across the state on February 3, with over 4,000 cases registered so far.
According to the police, most of the cases have been registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012.
However, there have been protests in parts of Assam against the police crackdown. Moreover, the chief minister also faced criticism from the opposition leaders who called the move a ‘publicity stunt’ by Biswa Sarma.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Ripun Bora said that the law was being abused by the chief minister on the pretext of the crackdown and sought intervention from the Gauhati high court. He claimed that the state police are acting like a puppet of the chief minister.
Assam Jatiya Parishad chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi alleged that the government went ahead with the crackdown without assessing its impact on the people.
While the Congress claimed that the chief minister is targeting one community with this drive.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the government in Assam is biased against the Muslims.
Also Read: ‘Will Himanta Biswa look after married girls?’ Owaisi on child marriage action
Furthermore, the chief minister on Monday also revealed that around 58% of the arrested individuals are Muslims while 42% of Hindus.
Assam has a high rate of maternal and infant mortality, with child marriage being the primary cause, according to reports by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
The state cabinet had recently approved a proposal to book men who have married girls below 14 years of age under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
