By IANS
Jaipur : In a state where child marriages are the norm and religiously practised, a 12-year-old girl in Rajasthan stood up to the family’s pressure and said ‘no’ to marriage.
Nirma, a native of Nehri village in Bundi district and living in a hostel in Hindoli town, Sunday sent back her family including a cousin brother when they insisted that she accompany them back to her village and get married.
“My father died a few years back and my cousins wanted to get me married with the other weddings taking place in my family right now. I said no to them. I want to study and stand up on my own feet,” Nirma said.
The warden of the hostel, Upma Sharma, said: “Some family members of Nirma came to take her back home. I heard heated arguments. When I came to know about the matter, I refused to send the child with them. We also informed the police about the matter.”
The police have now assured full protection to the girl. “If family members try to forcefully marry the child off, we would certainly take action against them,” a police official said.
Child marriages are rampant in Rajasthan, especially among the tribal communities. According to estimates over 60 percent of the girls, in some district of the state, are married before the age of 18.