Khap leaders object to raising the age of marriage of girls to 21, said – crimes against women will increase
In line with the announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government has decided to increase the legal minimum age of marriage for girls from 18 years to 21 years. The cabinet has approved the proposal prepared to bring equality in the minimum age of the bride and groom. Meanwhile, some leaders of Khas Panchayat have opposed this move of the government. They claim that this will have a bad effect on the society and crimes against women will increase.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to increase the age of girls for marriage from 18 to 21. Notably, the minimum age of marriage for boys in the country is 21 years. In this way, a similar age limit has been fixed for both. The government is preparing to introduce a bill in Parliament to amend the 2006 Child Marriage Act (Child Marriage Act-2006) during this winter session. Choudhary Sanjay Kalkhande, head of Kalkhande Khap Panchayat said that the decision to increase the age limit of marriage of girls will have a bad effect on the society.
He said that today is the time of technology and social media. The younger generation is attached to it. Today, even at the age of 14, girls are mature enough for marriage. Baba Shyam Singh, head of Gathwala Khap Panchayat, said that raising the minimum age for marriage would lead to an increase in crimes against women.
