Child marriage legalized? Bill passed in Rajasthan assembly amid uproar from opposition MLAs
Opposition MLAs strongly claimed that the bill permits child marriages.
The Rajasthan Compulsory Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday, as opposition MLAs kept objecting to it. The updated bill allegedly allows child marriages, as per several BJP MLAs. Under the Bill, information on child marriage must be furnished by their parents or guardians within 30 days of the wedding.
BJP MLA Ashok Lahoti described the bill as a 'black chapter' in the history of the state assembly. He strongly claimed that the bill permits child marriages. "It will be a black day for the Assembly if this Bill is passed. Does the Assembly permit us to unanimously allow child marriages? By a show of hands, we will be permitting child marriages", he said.
"The Bill will write a black chapter in the history of the Assembly", he further added.
Meanwhile, the state's Parliamentary Affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal defended the bill asserting that nowhere does the amendment say that child marriages will be validated.
"You say that child marriages will be validated. Nowhere does this amendment say that such marriages will be valid. Marriage certificate is a legal document, in the absence of which a widow won't receive benefit of any govt scheme", he said.