Jalgaon: The Khatik community organisation organised a community marriage ceremony on Sunday, but the parents of eight minor children were refused permission to marry them as soon as the birth registration showed that they were girls. The parents were satisfied after being assured that they would be married in a community marriage ceremony after the children reached the legal marriageable age.
Today, as the number of girls is decreasing, it is seen that girls are being married off due to a lack of financial resources. A mass marriage ceremony was organised in Iqra College in Jalgaon on Sunday. The marriage of boys and girls whose financial condition is poor or whose children do not have parental support was arranged free of cost in this ceremony.
Marriage registration was done for that. When the dates of birth of the boys and girls were checked before the marriage, it was found that six girls and two boys were minors. Hence, the organisers refused to arrange the marriage of these eight boys and girls as it was a legal obligation.
When the parents insisted, they were explained that these children could not be married as per the Child Marriage Prevention Act; otherwise the parents were made aware that they could be punished and fined as per the law.
The concerned parents were satisfied when the organisers promised to arrange the marriage of these children in a mass marriage ceremony after they reached the prescribed age of marriage. Except for these eight marriages, the remaining marriages were arranged. Today, this community is being praised for recognising its social responsibility and taking a tough decision.
