E-Paper
Kerala Muslim bodies resent decision to hike marriageable age of women
The Union government is planning to bring a bill to increase the minimum legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21, people familiar with developments said, underlining a far-reaching decision that will require modification in faith-based personal laws dealing with marriage and inheritance.
Many Muslim organisations in Kerala have criticized the Centre’s move to hike the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years. Muslim League leader E T Mohammad Basheer on Friday introduced an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha saying the decision was against Muslim personal law and it was another step towards introducing a uniform civil code in the country.
“We will oppose this. The government is trying to implement the Sangh Parivar’s favourite agenda of uniform civil code. The Muslim Personal Law Board clearly defines marriage, divorce and right to property. These issues relate to our faith,” said Basheer adding he will talk to other political parties to form a consensus on the issue. The Congress is yet to make its stance clear on the matter.
The Union government is planning to bring a bill to increase the minimum legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21, people familiar with developments said, underlining a far-reaching decision that will require modification in faith-based personal laws dealing with marriage and inheritance.
The Union Cabinet cleared the proposal in its meeting on Wednesday and the government plans to bring the bill — which will bring the minimum age of marriage for women at par with that of men — in the ongoing winter session of Parliament, said the people quoted above.
The Samastha Kerala Jamait-ul-Ulema, an organisation of Sunni scholars, and many other religious bodies also opposed the move. The women’s wing of the League also opposed the decision saying delaying the age of marriage will give way to “live-in relationships and illegitimate relations”.
“The necessity for increasing the age from 18 to 21 is not known. No medical study indicates any psychological or physiological problems if girls are married at 18. The stipulation that girls should wait till 21 to marry is an affront to individual freedom and religious belief,” said T K Ashraf, leader of the Salafi group Wisdom Islamic Organisation.
Muslim organisations got support from an unexpected quarter, the CPI (M) women’s wing-- the All India Democratic Women’s Association. “We oppose the decision strongly. This will do more harm to women than helping them. Instead of bridging the gender gap and empowering women the government is coming out with a new legislation laced with communal outlook,” it said in a statement.
But, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) however, has welcomed the move. The apex body of Christians, KCBC, lauded the decision to bring uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women. “We feel education remains a key factor and by 21 women will get an opportunity to complete their graduation. This will pave the way for a mature relationship and healthy family. Therefore, we view the decision positively,” said KCBC family commission secretary Father Paul Simenthy.
