LS polls: PMK manifesto moots mandatory parental consent for marriages of girls aged below 21

CHENNAI: Reiterating its demand of curbing love marriages, PMK's election manifesto has promised to mandate permission of parents for getting married before 21 years of age.

The party reasoned the decision by saying that young girls are being defrauded by Naadaga Kaadhal (stage-managed love).

"In countries like Singapore, Philippines, Japan, and Brazil, permission of parents is mandatory for young age weddings. Karnataka High Court also recommended such rules in India also. To prevent young girls from Naadaga Kaadhal and to safeguard future of adolescents, PMK will pave way for mandating parents' permission for marriages under 21 years of age, " the manifesto said.

The manifesto also promised to work towards conducting caste based census and reservation slab will be relaxed as per Supreme Court observations.

"Reservation to all the communities will be provided based on caste based census. Creamy layer will be removed for reservations in central government education and jobs, " the party promised.

Moreover, PMK promised 33 per cent reservation for women in education and jobs.

The manifesto of the party, which is contesting the election in alliance with ruling BJP, assured a commission to recommend on power sharing between state and central governments and subjects including education that were moved to concurrent list will be again shifted to state list.

"As per 15th Finance Commission recommendations, state governments should be given 41 per cent of the revenue. But revenue given to developed states are lower whereas share to undeveloped states is higher. This will be changed. PMK will demand to increase the 41 per cent revenue share to 50 per cent, " the manifesto added.

Other promises include abolition of NEET, separate budget for agriculture, linking of rivers, assurance to unemployed youth, deposit of Rs. 10 lakh in the names of girl children, prohibition of alcohol and tobacco, Tamil as one of the administrative languages in the centre, Supreme Court bench in Chennai and others.

While releasing the manifesto, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said that even if they ally with the BJP, PMK will continue to criticise them whenever there are contradictions.

He added that both the DMK and the AIADMK have outlived their utility.

Responding to the allegations of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami that the PMK is frequently shifting sides, Anbumani said that it was only due to PMK that AIADMK was able to retain its government by winning in the bypoll and also managed to win 66 seats in 2021 assembly election.

When questioned about candidature of Sowmiya Anbumani in Dharmapuri, Anbumani Ramadoss, who is her husband, claimed that his wife is qualified for the candidature as she is creating awareness on environment and addressed the United Nations. "She also speaks Hindi," he quipped.