RS passes Prevention of Child Marriage Bill

New Delhi, Dec 14: The Rajya Sabha today passed by voice vote the Bill to prevent child marriages in the country that would prevent the girl child from becoming an ''endangered species'' through providing better education and empowerment of women.

The Prevention of Child Marriage Bill, 2004 was passed by the House after a lenghty discussion on the subject after Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury moved the Bill at around 1400 hours.

Replying to the discussion, the Minister said women should be educated through self-help groups and she hoped that in the 11th plan, the girl child should be saved right from the womb itself and provisions made to ensure a brighter life for her future.

The 11th Plan, she hoped, would help monitor her food and health parameters. Anganwadis should be expanded and creches strengthened.

She hoped that such steps would change centuries-old mindset of people about women and girl child.

BJP MP S S Ahluwalia intervened and objected to the sentence ''MPs should become human beings'' used by the Minister during her speech on the Bill. The BJP members were on their feet demanding that the Minister could not talk in this lingo. It was only after Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri intervened that the House settled down.

Earlier in the discussion, Sharad Joshi (SBP) said there were few laws to protect women, be it anti-dowry or domestic violence laws. A close study of women's problems was required.

Anasuya Udhey (BJP) said conditions of women were pitiable in remand homes and said women-related problems were directly related to poverty. She said laws regarding child marriages must be strengthened and awareness campaign must be taken up.

Maulana Azmi (Congress) said women faced problems after marriage also and were victims of backwardness and they should be made aware of the existing laws.

UNI

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