Those attending minor marriages too to face action: Collector
“That this quack was earning money only proved that locals’ mindset against bearing a girl child,” he told DT Next.
Tirupattur Collector D Baskara Pandian addressing a gram sabha meeting in Girisamudram in Alangayam panchayat Union recently
TIRUPATTUR: In a surprise and stern warning, Collector D Baskara Pandian has warned that not only parents and the major bridegroom but, also the guests and all others associated with minor marriages will also have to face criminal action.
The Collector’s caution turned the otherwise routine special grama sabha meeting held on November 1 at Girisamudram in Alangayam panchayat Union a serious and notable event among different sections.
As soon as Ambur MLA AS Vilvanathan finished his address at the gram sabha, Baskara Pandian’s speech, after the customary statements, took a serious turn when he touched upon the menace of minor marriages and several women-related issues. “Everybody was taken aback when the Collector suddenly warned that not only the parents, but even those who participate in minor marriages will face criminal action,” said an official present at the meeting.
What angered the Collector was the recent arrest of a quack who visited various villages with a portable scanning machine with which he – for payment - would reveal the sex of the foetus. “That this quack was earning money only proved that locals’ mindset against bearing a girl child,” he told DT Next.
“Though there is a legislation banning marriages of girls below 18 in vogue and everyone is aware of it, many parents try to marry off their teen daughters in a hurry to their clear their responsibility. A more painful aspect is that many people do not want to have a girl child at all and to achieve this they approach such quacks. It was then that I went on the offensive to weed out this menace and threatened to file criminal charges against all participants – guests, visitors, cooks, transporters, decorators, suppliers – if they contravened the law,” he explained.
With Tirupattur district having a lopsided sex ratio of around 964 girls for 1,000 boys, efforts have to be made to bridge this imbalance and that can happen only if some tough and serious action was initiated, he said.
The poor sex ratio is also a pointer to various women-related issues, he said and added, “Though I spoke about the need for literacy of girl children on a par with boys, only tough action will yield results and that is what I plan to do.”
“Village-level field staff have been asked to ascertain the reasons if pregnant women are missing from their homes for 10 to 20 days as this can only mean that have gone in search of someone who can reveal the sex of the foetus,” he added.
