Bengaluru, June 18 (IANS) Karnataka Minister for Backward Class Development, Kannada and Culture, Shivaraj Tangadagi has expressed concern over the continued occurrence of child marriages in Koppal district and in his Kanakagiri Assembly constituency and pulled up authorities for not taking strict action.

Speaking at a quarterly review meeting in Gangavathi on Wednesday, Minister Tangadagi stated that young children were still being married off and in the months of April and May four cases of child marriage were reported in Koppal district.

“In my Kanakagiri Assembly constituency, two cases of child marriage have been reported. What action has been taken in this regard?” the Minister asked officials from the Department of Women and Child Welfare.

In response, the officials stated that FIRs have been registered in connection with these cases.

However, expressing dissatisfaction, Minister Tangadagi asserted that filing FIRs alone was not sufficient and more efforts were needed to raise awareness about the issue.

“Officials from the Women and Child Welfare Department and the Police Department must take the issue of child marriage seriously,” he emphasised.

Tangadagi further instructed the authorities to summon and question those who support or enable child marriages. He also cautioned officials not to succumb to pressure from local politicians or influential leaders in this matter.

“In what kind of society are we living? Young children are being forced into marriage. The authorities must treat this issue with the seriousness it deserves and take proactive measures to prevent such practices,” he urged.

Koppal district is considered as one of the most backward districts in Karnataka state. Minister Tangadagi is also incharge minister of Koppal district.

It can be recalled that the Karnataka Child Rights Observatory had asked the state government to draft strict rules to prevent child marriages and extend free and compulsory education to all girls till the age of 18.

The child rights body had given the directive following the incident of a minor girl from Reddihalli Gollarahatti in Challakere taluk of Chitradurga district successfully resisting her marriage.

State Convenor of the Karnataka Child Rights Observatory, Vasudeva Sharma N.V., in a letter addressed to the Chief Minister and shared with all ministers, judges and the women’s commission, demanded that the government come out with stricter rules to prevent child marriages.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a recent meeting with the Deputy Commissioners and Zilla Panchayat CEOs, issued strict directives to contain social evils, including child marriages and child pregnancies.

–IANS

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