Zero Child Marriages Have Been Reported In Rajasthan Due To The Strict Lockdown. Guess There Is A Silver Lining!
Whenever I talk about the year 2020 with any of my friends, family member or even with my dog at this point, all I get out of them is a look full of cringe, disappointment and frustration, for since the very beginning of this year, there hasn’t been one thing has gone right. From political riots breaking in our country with the imposition of CAA, to the entire nation being sent on a lockdown due to the widespread of the novel coronavirus, absolutely nothing that has happened in these 4 months since the start of 2020 has been close to what was planned.
And while most of us have given up hope on the present circumstances getting any better, anytime soon, we were perhaps a little too quick to pass judgement. Especially since if we really try to look at it, even a cloud as dark as this one, has a silver lining one that has become pretty visible in the state of Rajasthan. With zero child marriages being reported in a state like Rajasthan where child marriage was a legit cause of concern, seems like the lockdown has not just protected the children of this deadly virus, but might just save some young children.
As per the report by Times of India, every year during the time of Akshaya Tritiya (Akha Teej), which fell on the 26th of April this year, despite the measures taken by the police to ensure no child wedlock takes place, the rate at which child marriages happen in places like Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar and Baran districts of Hadauti is alarming.
On #AkshayTritiya many people have weddings. But this year as #IndiaFightsCorona we must #StayHomeSaveLives! Also too many people marry off young daughters. #Childmarriage is not auspicious; it's sinful.
पहले शिक्षा, फिर शादी#endchildmarriage @UNICEFIndia #AkshayaTritiya2020 pic.twitter.com/j6dRCL7T7a
— WASH Alliance (@wash_alliance) April 27, 2020
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However, this year with the lockdown in place, zero cases have surfaced, and this feels like a little victory in itself. That people have stopped engaging in an act where the lives of little children were put on risk and served as collateral damage in the name of tradition. Making this happen were the district collectors across the state, including Om Kasera, who directed officials to ensure such cases didn’t happen, and guess, they were all in luck.
The Deputy director for the programmme, Bhairu Prakesh Nagar of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Bundi also said how, ““The reports of child marriages on Akshaya Tritiya this year are nil (zero) so far, due to strict enforcement of lockdown,” where once entire teams used to be deployed to get the number in control and restraint from this to happen. But this year around, he says even control rooms weren’t set up, just because the coronavirus scare did them good and kept people in line regardless.
And if this isn’t a silver lining, with something good coming out of a situation as this, we don’t know what is!
