Recently, the Rajasthan Assembly passed the Rajasthan Compulsory Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Bill, 2021. According to NDTV, the bill stated that “marriage between a bridegroom who has not completed 21 years and a bride who has not completed 18 years of age could be registered by the parents or guardians within 30 days of the marriage”.
This bill has started a debate about legitimizing child marriage in the state. In our country, the legal age of marriage for men is 21-years and for women is 18-years. By allowing brides and grooms below the legal age to register their marriage has raised questions about the Rajasthan government giving legal recognition to child marriages.
However, Rajasthan parliamentary affairs minister, Shanti Dhariwal, said that the amendment does not validate child marriages, reports Hindustan Times.
He said, “You say that child marriages will be validated. Nowhere does this amendment say that such marriages will be valid. A marriage certificate is a legal document, in the absence of which a widow won’t receive the benefit of any govt scheme.”
But on the other hand, people online are raising important questions. The news met with significant backlash online. Here’s what some said:
Shocked & horrified at this step of Congress Govt in Rajasthan!
Instead of protecting girls & preventing child marriage, they are encouraging it!
Shameful! 😡
Rajasthan passes bill to register child marriages – The New Indian Express https://t.co/OihJljXPoX
— Charu Pragya🇮🇳 (@CharuPragya) September 18, 2021
The bill passed by Rajasthan assembly not only legitimises child merriage, it is also negating all the struggle millions of women and men went through and still go through to educate &empower girl child . Girls will not have any say in their own marriage. https://t.co/pUnXYkuSFC
— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) September 18, 2021
Heard that Rajasthan Govt passed a bill to register child marriages. Don't know we are moving forward or backward. How much time it take these people to understand child marriage is an evil practice.? Child marriage is against children's rights. It is anti-women.
— Master VJN 🇵🇸 (@TweetsofVJN) September 18, 2021
Rajasthan Compulsory Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Bill, 2021 passed in the Assembly yesterday,
Under the Bill, information on child marriage must be furnished by their parents within 30 days of the wedding
Child marriage is illegal but we will issue certificates. 😂
— Abhinav Pareek (@_abhinavpareek) September 18, 2021
Rajasthan govt. asking parents to register 'child marriage' within 30 days of the wedding and saying it is still ilegal, is like distributing weeds for free but making it illegal to smoke.🤷🤦♂️
Instead of protecting girls & preventing child marriage, they are encouraging it 😡 pic.twitter.com/hW4kDr2TpO
— I'm Surajit H (@surojithansda) September 18, 2021
How does a marriage become legal? By registering it.
Registering of child marriage is a direct attempt at legalizing child marriages.@NCPCR_ this is direct violation of Indian Child Marriages Act & a human rights issue as well.https://t.co/4nR0NgOimz— Vish 🇮🇳 (@vishy_g) September 18, 2021
This is so stupid. They are saying it is still illegal we are only registering it. Why the hell people would come to register something which is illegal?
— Rumplestiltskin (@Daggerkagulam) September 18, 2021
Marriages registration law in Rajasthan legitimised child marriage by including provision to register marriage of underage couple. Progressive?? When such underaged couple marriage is not legal, how it can be allowed to register??
— Krishna.VVA (@KrishnaVVA) September 18, 2021
The messaging around the Rajasthan Bill on registration of child marriage is a disaster. Everyone is sleeping at the wheel.
— Chirag Patnaik (@chirag) September 18, 2021
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