Assam To Book Men Marrying Girls Below 14 Years Under POCSO Act: CM Himanta Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta announced that the state government will launch a massive operation against child marriage across the state in the next 15 days.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday addressed a press conference in Janata Bhawan, Dispur.

Source : ANI

New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday announced that his government will launch a massive operation against child marriage across the state and men marrying girls below 14 years of age will be booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) Act. He assured that the state government will take "secular" and "neutral" action in this regard.

Assam will book men marrying girls below 14 years under POCSO Act, the Chief Minister said at a press conference in Janata Bhawan, Dispur, as per news agency PTI.

He announced that the state government will launch a massive operation against child marriage across the state in the next 15 days.

In response to a question, CM Himanta Sarma elaborated on the "massive crackdown" and said: "I am directing Assam Police to jail as many culprits as they can, fill as many jail cells as they can."

"Department will take community action. We are talking about legal provision. Legally, the responsibility was given to the state government by the Parliament in 2006. The Parliament asked the government to appoint a child marriage prohibition officer and compulsorily file FIRs," he asserted.

Live: Addressing press conference at CM's block, Janata Bhawan, Dispur https://t.co/ecnLlkCKkr

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 23, 2023

"This issue has been neglected for six years, it will (given) be a priority in our governance. We have to make our state child marriage-free within five years," he further mentioned.

In response to another query, CM Himata cited official data stating that in the Dibrugarh district, "23 per cent girls have been married within the prohibited age."

"I don't want to give it a political colour, I don't want to give an idea that we are targeting some community. It will be action across Assam," he emphasised.

The Chief Minister said that he sought inspiration from the Karnataka government which has appointed a child marriage prohibition officer. "They have prevented 11,000 child marriages so far," he added.

The responsibility of the child marriage prohibition officer is not only to file cases but also to counsel people to prevent these cases, CM Himanta mentioned.

(With Agency Input)