In Jatland, child marriages to prevent girls from eloping

Jun 26, 2010,

CHANDIGARH: Honour killings, rampant in Haryana, have led to a bizzare trend in rural areas: villagers are increasingly marrying off their minor daughters, fearing love affairs may force the girls to run away from homes. According to state women and child development department, about 100 child marriages were stopped in the last one year.


Last month, Poonam (16) of Sirsa district was "saved" by a team of district police child marriage prevention cell. The girl wanted to pursue her 10+2, but her parents were adamant on her marriage. Just before her marriage was to be solemnized, a police team raided the place and stopped the marriage.

"After enquiries, we came to know that the parents were apprehensive about her future in case she went to college. Her parents told us about their anxieties about love affair of girls — something about which police could do little. When police threatened to book the parents, they agreed to postpone the marriage till the girl attains the age of 18," a senior police officer said.

The officer added the cell has so far succeeded in stopping 20 such marriages, in which the girls were in the age group of 13-16 years. "It's just the tip of the iceberg as the general feeling among the parents is 'if girls go away from the village, they might fall in bad company'."

In Rewari, last year seven girls were about to be married off when police along with the child marriage protection officer raided the place. Enquiries revealed that out of seven, five were minors, including a six-year-old girl. "What if the girl runs away?" villagers asked.

"The villagers told us that the marriage of the minor girls was only symbolic. They said the 'gona' (when the girl is sent for matrimonial relations with husband) might be done later. This means the parents want to relieve themselves of their responsibility as soon as they can. In case, they suspect any affair, they can send her to her in-laws," said Neelam Sharma, district child marriage protection officer, adding that 17 such marriages have been stopped in Rewari district in the last one year.

Babita Chaudhry, child marriage protection officer of Hisar, said: "In rural Haryana, the line is clearly drawn: if a boy falls in love, then it hardly matters for the parents, but if it is a girl, then it's considered an attack on the honour."

State financial commissioner, women and child development department, Shakuntla Jakhu said: "We are trying to break the stereo-type thinking of people, where girls are considered as a burden. We are offering incentives to parents who marry their girls after they attain the age of 18."