New Delhi: The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, has received flak from fellow parliament members after Smriti Irani, Union Cabinet Minister for Women & Child Development, has introduced the bill in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The Bill is to increase the age of marriage of women from 18 to 21 years.
The Opposition leaders in the parliament have slammed the union government for not consulting the former before any Bills are introduced in the House. While AIMIM MP, Asaduddin Owaisi, called the Bill to be a retrogressive amendment, DMK MP Kanimozhi urged the government to consult before introducing the Bills in the house.
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"Except for Women's Reservation Bill, Govt doesn't believe in consulting anybody. It's very important that such an imp Bill has to be sent to Standing Committee or Select Committee & they've to review it & ask for opinions in civil society & then bring the Bill," said the DMK MP as quoted by ANI news agency.
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After the Bill was introduced Union Minister Smriti Irani, Owaisi slammed the Bill by saying, "Retrogressive amendment. It's against the right to freedom under Art 19. An 18-yr-old can choose a PM, can have a live-in relationship but you are denying the right to marriage. What have you done for an 18-yr-old? Women labour force participation in India lower than Somalia."