I read this article today in British times. It’s struck me that while we all are quick to jump on , and criticize silly traditions that have grave consequences in Muslim countries we sort of look the other way if, lets say we were to talk about multiple wives in Utah. In this article it is India. Now while India officially has this practice outlawed it is still practiced un-officially. Same in Utah, the practice of polygmy is outlawed but not enforced.
Read on. I cannot provide the link/URL but search for british times it is in todays newpaper.
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And Finally Sword attack over child bridesBy Catherine PhilpA BRUTAL attack on a child welfareofficer who tried to prevent threeyoung girls from being married off in amass ceremony has provoked outragein India over the ancient practice ofchild marriage. Hundreds of government workers andsocial activists had been mobilised inthe states of Rajasthan and MadhyaPradesh to prevent the illegal massweddings of under-age boys and girlson the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, alunar holy day regarded as particularlyauspicious for weddings. Shakuntala Verma, a government childwelfare officer, travelled to Bhangarhvillage in the tribal-dominated Dhardistrict in Madhya Pradesh afterreceiving a tip-off that a family therewas planning to marry off their youngdaughters in such a ceremony. She demanded proof of the girls’ages but was forced to leave afterfamily members threatened her. Laterthat evening a visitor turned up at herdoor armed with a sword and beganslashing at her. As she put up her hands to protectherself, one was severed and the otherbadly injured. Police are now seekingthe arrest of the girls’ father, theofficer’s alleged assailant. Sheremains in hospital in Indore fightingfor her life after a nine-hour operationto re-attach her hand. The brutality of the attack has shockedthe country and renewed debate aboutsteps to halt the practice of childmarriage, outlawed since 1948 butcontinuing almost unhindered in thetribal belts of rural northern India. Around 200,000 marriages of minorsunder the age of 18 are said to takeplace every year, although the illegalityof the practice and the fact that suchmarriages are not registered makesthe exact number hard to determine. The bride and groom, in some cases,are little more than toddlers, althoughthe majority are in their teens. Most child marriages in India take placeon two auspicious holy days: AkshayaTritiya, which fell on Wednesday, andAkha Teej, which falls in September.Police are often bribed to ignore suchceremonies, leaving the task ofpreventing them to unprotected childwelfare workers such as Mrs Verma. Child marriage is an ancient practice inIndia dating back more than 4,000years and comes recommended by the Kama Sutra, which cautions that a girlwho has “fully arrived at puberty”should be avoided as a wife. Until the1860s, girls were routinely married offat 8 or 9. Later that decade the IndianPenal Code outlawed intercourse with awife younger than 10. In 1929 the first Child MarriageRestraint Act was enacted, taking thelower age limit up to 12. In 1948 theage was raised to 18 for girls and 21for boys. But the practice has lived on in ruralRajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, partly,say critics, because of a lack of politicalwill to stop it. Babulal Gaur, the Chief Minister ofMadhya Pradesh, caused outrage whenhe said after the attack on Mrs Vermathat “no serious action” would betaken against those who forced theirchildren into such marriage. “Socialcustoms are stronger than laws,” heargued. Late last year, however, theGovernment put forward a Billdemanding that all marriages in Indiabe registered as a way of preventingchild marriage. At present fewmarriages are recorded. Under the proposed law parents,relatives and presiding priests could becharged and given jail sentences of upto two years. Under existing law themaximum sentence is one month.
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