Child marriage in Assam: CM highlights teenage pregnancy data to justify arrests

So far, 2,442 persons have been arrested and 4,036 cases have been registered since February 3

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Monday stated that action against child marriage would continue as teenage pregnancy in the state was alarmingly high at 16.8 per cent.

"Our drive against child marriage is for public health and public welfare as teenage pregnancy ratio is quite alarming at 16.8 per cent. We are resolved to continue this drive until we fulfill our objective. We urge the people to cooperate with us in controlling this harmful trend," Sarma tweeted on Monday.

Sarma's announcement comes despite hundreds of young women staging protests outside police stations across Assam to release their husbands arrested on charges of child marriage. Many had even clashed with police while trying to prevent arrests.

Assam police Monday evening said so far a total of 2,442 persons have been arrested while 4,036 cases have been registered since Friday (February 4). Most of the arrests were from Dhubri (151), Nagaon (149), Hojai (139), Biswanath (139), Barpeta (134), Morigaon (109), Hailakandi (106) and Kokrajhar districts (105). Most of these districts are Muslim majority.

The Chief Minister also uploaded a data sheet prepared by the Reproductive Child Health Portal under the Union Ministry of health and family welfare, which stated that teenage pregnancy was highest in Barpeta (28.7 per cent), followed by Dhubri and South Salmara (27.9 per cent), Goalpara (24.1 per cent), Bongaigaon (22.3 per cent), Kokrajhar (21.9 per cent), Darrang (21.1 per cent), Morigaon (20.8 per cent) and Chirang (19.4 per cent).

Sarma said although child marriage was more among Muslims, the problem was also found among the tribals and those living in tea garden areas.

Rafiqul Islam, an anti-child marriage activist in Barpera, on Sunday told DH that poverty and lack of education were the main push factors of child marriage among the Muslims in riverine areas, tea garden workers and some tribals.