Up until now, the worst example of mansplaining, is a man educating me (a woman) about sexual harassment. However, former minister and Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma has given the term “mansplaining” a whole new definition after he recently remarked on the marriageable age of women, by explaining to us lot how since a woman is capable of reproduction at the age of 15, her legal age to marry shouldn’t be increased from 18 to 21.
Singh was quoted saying, “Any girl is capable of reproduction at 15 years of age, this is not my finding, but this as per doctors’ report that girls are suitable for reproduction/bearing children at 15 years of age. Owing to it only, a girl is considered mature enough for marriage at minimum 18 years of age.”
He went on to say, “What is the need to increase the marriage age of girls to 21 years? Has Shivraj become a bigger doctor”, reacting to a statement made by the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan where he insisted that the marriageable age of women must be increased from 18 to 21.
The tone deaf statement made by Former minister Sajjan Singh Verma drew even more ire after he went ahead to say, “Madhya Pradesh tops in the number of rapes against minors. Instead of taking strict action in such cases, the chief minister is playing politics full of hypocrisy,” taking a dig at the Chief Minister, not realising the gravity of his own words in the context. After all, being able to bear a child is not the ONLY criteria to get married.
Also Read : Andhra Pradesh Urges Girls To Go To School To Bring An End To Child Marriage
Madhya Pradesh BJP”s media panelist Neha Bagga was one of the many people who took offence at his words as she expressed how Sajjan Singh Verma’s comments were an insult to the daughters of India. She said, “Did he forget that his party”s president is a woman? Priyanka Gandhi is also a woman? I urge Sonia Gandhi to direct Verma to apologise in public and sack him from the party.”
And considering Verma added things like, “girls should go to their sasural (in-laws home) and be happy after they turn 18,” we would side with Neha Bagga here.
In fact, realising just how problematic his statement was, coming from a leader no less, Congress itself from Verma’s views as they issued, “They are his (Verma’s) personal views and not the party’s official position.” Meanwhile, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued notice to Mr Verma, ordering him to “provide an explanation within two days giving reasons and justifying his intention for making such discriminatory statement against minor girls and law.”