Guna (Madhya Pradesh): A 13-year-old girl from village Bisonia in Guna district stopped her marriage by appearing before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on the day of “Mata Pujan” , said CWC chairman Anusuiya Raghuvanshi.
She was present with her cousin’s brother and his wife and narrated her agony in front of the officials.
She said that her mother Kanta Bai and father Babulal forcefully wanted her to tie the knot with Gokul Ahirwar, Dabad police station, Raghogarh resident at the Manjhi sammelan. While she wants to study further.
Later, through counselling by CWC members, it was found that the girl’s grandfather Ramcharan Ahirwar and his daughter Krishna Ahirwar had taken a loan of Rs 1 lakh in return for her marriage from the groom’s family and his family is pressuring them for the wedding.
The girl’s maternal uncle revealed that before this, Babulal's eldest daughter was also married at the age of 16 in exchange for money. The CWC ordered punitive action by registering a case against the parents and their sellers who are her blood relatives.
Child marriage stopped in Semli village
The Women and Child Development Department and Child Helpline Coordinators saved a life by stopping a child marriage. On receiving information, the officials visited the spot which is in Semli village of the Agar-Malwa region. Here, a 12-year-old Mannu Bai’s father Ramesh was getting her married. The officials made family members aware of the Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006 and cancelled the wedding ceremony. They also added that child marriage is a social evil and should be eliminated. The team also took written consent from the girl’s relatives.
