The Hindu : Karnataka / Bijapur News : Over 500 couples enter wedlock

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 27, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bijapur

Over 500 couples enter wedlock

Staff Correspondent

Activists claim several cases of child marriage

A NEW LIFE: New couples at a mass marriage function at Basarkod in Muddebihal taluk on Thursday.

BIJAPUR: Amid allegations of child marriages, over 500 pairs of brides and bridegrooms entered into wedlock in the mass ceremony held at Basarkod village in Muddebihal taluk on Thursday.

The event, in which over one lakh people took part, passed off peacefully.

However, there were minor skirmishes between volunteers of the function and activists of some non-governmental organisations trying to stop brides and bridegrooms not fulfilling the legal age limit from being married.

Participating in the function, the Minister for Cooperation, R.V. Deshpande, emphasised the need for India to follow the China model of birth control (one child norm), which, according to him, is essential to usher in development.

Echoing the view of Mr. Deshpande, the Minister for Sugars, Amaregouda Bayyapur, called upon the new couples to take a pledge that they will have only one child irrespective of gender.

A judge in the High Court of Karnataka, B.S. Patil; the Bijapur MP, Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal; the MLAs, M.B. Patil, Shivanand Patil, C.S. Nadagouda, Anil Lad and Vinay Kulkarni; lauded the efforts made by A.S. Patil Nadahalli in organising the mass marriage function, which, they said, had helped many poor parents getting their wards married free. The organisers claimed that 502 pairs entered into wedlock.

However, according to those observing the event, over 100 pairs had to get marriage solemnised outside the makeshift mass marriage function hall.

Some were seen tying the nuptial knots on a temple premises and elsewhere.

However, Vasudev Tolbandi, who headed a 30-member team of child rights activists at the venue, said there were many brides and bridegrooms who did not fulfil the age limit at the marriage hall. Despite their request, the police authorities and officers of the Child and Women Welfare Department did nothing to stop child marriage, he claimed.

However, talking to The Hindu, the organiser, Mr. Nadahalli denied that any children were married at the function hall.

He had set up a screening committee consisting of doctors and advocates, and it barred children from entering the marriage hall.

Although the organisers tried their best, there were some disorders at the meal counters and water taps.

The situation was tight at the and in and around the makeshift marriage hall.

Such was the crowd that many close relatives could not wish the new couples at all.

It was evident in the utterance of Thammanna of Managuli village who said he was returning home without meeting a new couple who are his relation.

The village streets were crowded and the VIP vehicles caused traffic jam.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News Update

Stories in this Section

Over 500 couples enter wedlock