As many as 16 prominent citizens under the aegis of Sustha Samaj Bikash Chakra (SSBC) wrote to the National Commission for Women regarding the atrocities in the name of crackdown on child marriage in Assam.

Dr. Hiren Gohain, Dr. Indrani Dutta, Maini Mahanta, president of SSBC Dr. Apurba Baruah, vice-president Dr. Manorama Sharma, Sitanath Lahkar, Deben Tamuli, Dr. Jayashree Bora, Najib Ahmed, Mahesh Deka and Robin Dutta were among those who were signatories to the letter

They wrote to the NCW to direct the Assam government to take steps to ensure that the atrocities on the citizens and especially women do not happen.

In the letter sent to NCW physically, as well as via e-mail, Sustha Samaj Bikash Chakra mentioned that the women and children of families that have been torn apart by the government’s actions which were not well thought through, have been adversely.

The letter also pointed out that the government did not conduct any educational campaigns among the lesser educated people in the rural areas about the harms of child marriage and that it is prohibited by law. This resulted in sections of the rural population not knowing about the misgivings of child marriage. They only carried on with the practice as part of age old traditions and societal norms.

For so long, the government continued to completely neglect the provisions of the child marriage laws in the country including appointing an official to look after the matter and then suddenly in February the government announced Panchayat Secretaries as Child Marriage Prohibition Officers and carried out this unlawful act with their help, the letter mentioned.

The letter also stated facts as published in different media to highlight the troubles caused to thousands of people.

Through the letter, these citizens requested the NCW to protect the innocent women who have suffered the most from this completely irrational, immature and vindictive decision and also appealed to order the state government to stop this illegal campaign immediately.

Moreover, the Sustha Samaj Bikash Chakra has also decided to appeal to the Human Rights Commission on the issue of human rights violations involved in the campaign.

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