Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday that the state police plan to apprehend an additional 2,000 to 3,000 men within the next ten days as part of their ongoing efforts to combat child marriage.
Since February, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam has initiated a comprehensive crackdown on child marriages. The police have been registering cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act against individuals who have married girls below the age of 14 and under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act against those who have married girls aged 14 to 18.
Sarma made these remarks concerning the campaign against child marriage during his address at a meeting of the national executive of the Bharatiya Janata Party's women's wing.
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“Six months back, I arrested 5,000 people for child marriage in Assam,” Sarma said. “I was waiting for the G20 to end. Now in the next 10 days, I will arrest 2,000-3,000 men for child marriage. Because we have to eradicate it [child marriage]. A law has been enacted saying that this should not happen. And if it continues to happen, daughters from a particular group will never progress. They will keep becoming victims of exploitation," as reported by The Scroll.
The chief minister additionally alleged that the Congress party views Muslims solely as a voting constituency and asserted that the BJP has accomplished more for Muslims compared to the Congress regime.
