Guwahati: “Till the time Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive, child marriage will not be allowed in Assam,” an angry Assam chief minister thundered Monday in the assembly.
He was countering opposition leaders’ criticism of the Cabinet’s Friday night decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, which conformed to rules under the Muslim personal law.
The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had moved an adjournment motion to discuss the Cabinet decision, but Speaker Biswajit Daimary rejected it. Both Congress and AIUDF leaders MLAs suggested that the Act could have gone through amendments.
Hitting out at the AIUDF and the Congress, Sarma asked the opposition members to spare a thought on the girl child of the Muslim community. “Think about the children… I would not let a girl child of 5-6 years get married in Assam. Do whatever…,” he said.
The CM further challenged the opposition on ending child marriage by 2026.
“Listen to this… Point blank… You are not allowed to do business with the lives of children of the Muslim community. I am politically challenging you that before 2026, I will shut this shop,” Sarma said.
I want to make it loud and clear, till the time I am there, I will not allow you to play with the future of innocent Muslim children.
I will bring an end to this exploitative business and will not allow a single child marriage to take place in Assam: HCM Dr @himantabiswa pic.twitter.com/wTVFuXrz4u
— Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) February 26, 2024
His remarks drew applause from party colleagues who thumped desks triumphantly.
On 23 February, the state government announced that the cabinet resolved to repeal the colonial era act and approved the ‘Assam Repealing Ordinance 2024’.
“We discontinued this legislation because under its provisions, a child of 5-6 years could also register for marriage. If any one of you support such a draconian act, you can speak on it… But, think about the girl child,” Sarma said.
In February last year, the Assam CM announced that a drive against child marriage will continue till the 2026 assembly election. Over 2,500 people arrested were booked under two laws — the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. A large number of women had protested against the arrest of their husbands and sons, many of whom were later released.
Over 4,000 cases of child marriages were registered in a few days since the launch of the drive, with the maximum cases and arrests reported from lower Assam’s Dhubri district. Among those facing charges were priests and Qazis, magistrates of a Sharia court legally empowered to register Muslim marriages.
‘Atrocities on Muslim mothers coming to an end’
Earlier on Sunday, Sarma told the media on the sidelines of a government event in Nagaon district that the “atrocities on Muslim mothers that continued for so long now comes to an end” through the abrogation of this 89-year Act.
“In Assam, a Qazi was not held accountable for registering marriages of Muslim girls below the age of 18. They would easily obtain bail. With the scrapping of this legislation, it will be hard to give Talaq (divorce in Islamic law), and girls below 18 will no longer be eligible to register for marriages,” he explained.
Elaborating the role of Qazis, Sarma said that a Muslim woman would gain nothing from a ‘Talaq certificate’ issued by a Qazi, but the divorce granted by a court would entitle her to subsistence allowance and alimony from the husband.
Reiterating his stance on ending child marriages, Sarma said that after the government’s crackdown against the social evil, “some (offenders) have been remanded in 10-15 years of prison sentences.”
“There would be another drive to arrest child marriage offenders after the Lok Sabha elections. Before 2026, I will finish this,” the CM had said.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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