A child rights group in Ahmedabad has succeeded in preventing the marriage of 19 underage couples.
A team of Prayas, led by Indrajeetsinh Chauhan, late night on Friday succeeded in convincing the leader of the Devipujak community that marriage of underage children is against the law.
Devipujaks fall in the SC category and are hardly educated. They are into selling vegetables, putting up small stores. They also work as daily labourers.
A group marriage of 36 couples was to be held on Sunday. While the team succeeded in convincing the community and the parents of not going ahead with the marriage of 19 underage couples, the marriage of remaining 17 couples was solemnized on Sunday.
The Prayas team had kept an eye on the developments based on a tip from their sources.
When the team visited the Devipujaks in Vatva area of Ahmedabad, the leader and the community reportedly feigned ignorance about Child Marriage Prohibition Act. Upon seeking the birth certificates of those to be married, they found that 38 were underage.
“We are not singling out any particular community. But child marriages are more rampant in Devipujaks, Chunaras and Dataniya communities due to poverty and less education,” Chauhan observed.
Group marriages are widely preferred in these communities since expenses get divided and the couples also get gifts from the organisers.
Chauhan said they had the help from the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer, Ahmedabad and the district child protection unit. The team had also informed the police, should it required any assistance.
He said it is always better to prevent the marriage before it actually takes place, for in the latter case the prestige of the families is also at stake and then legal action is also initiated.
