ANWARUL HODA / PATNA
Bihar government has launched a drive against child marriage and dowry on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary today.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led the pledge at Patna and all the government school’s, health centres, panchayats, mahadalit tola, local police stations and government and non government offices followed .
People pledged not to get married a girl below 18 years or a boy below 21 or participate in a child marriage or a wedding with dowry.
Addressing a function organized by the social welfare department at the Ashok Convention Centre’s Bapu Sabhaghar in Patna, Nitish said a human chain would be formed in support of the campaign on 21 January 2018.
“We had implemented prohibition in the state last year and launched a massive campaign in its support by forming a human chain on January 21, 2017… Similarly, I would appeal to all of you to form a human chain on January 21, 2018 in support of the campaign to put an end to the wrong practices of child marriage and dowry,” Kumar said.
On 21 January this year, Bihar had formed the world’s largest human chain, as per the government’s claim, in support of the liquor ban with Kumar, with leaders from various political parties and citizens holding each other’s hands at the Gandhi Maidan in the state capital. Kumar appealed to all the sections of society to put an end to social evils such as child marriage and dowry and not politicize them.
“Bihar ranks second in the country after neighbouring Uttar Pradesh when it comes to dowry-related cases. In 2016, 987 cases of dowry deaths were registered in Bihar, while the number of cases of dowry-related atrocities was 4,852,” he said, adding that the percentage of child marriage cases in the state stood at 39. The chief minister pointed out that this was the situation, despite there being laws —the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006—to eliminate such ill practices.
The chief minister also flagged off 38 “Abhiyan Jagrukta” raths for all 38 districts of the state to raise awareness among the masses on the issues. Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi asked Kumar to introduce a stringent law to deal with the issue of child marriage and suggested enacting a legislation under which the elected representatives of panchayats would be held responsible if a child marriage was reported from their respective jurisdictions.
They also took a pledge to stop such marriage if they come across any as a part of their social responsibility and make their state free of these two social evils.
In case of any information on child marriage or dowry they can contact the district magistrates, SP, local elected representatives, block development officer or the police station or call on the toll free number 181.