A day after a controversy erupted over the alleged presence of minors at a large-scale wedding event in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district, officials from the state's Women and Child Development (WCD) department confirmed on Monday that they had launched a probe based on an anonymous tip-off.
Flying Squad Finds No Minors at Event Site
The department dispatched a flying squad to investigate the complaint received regarding the mass marriage ceremony held on Sunday in the Kshipra area of Sanwer tehsil. The event was part of the 'Shrimad Bhagwat Katha Gyan Ganga Mahotsav' organized by the Dewas-based Shri Hari Krishna Manav Gou Sewa Sansthan, where a total of 242 couples exchanged vows. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had graced the occasion and blessed the newlyweds.
However, by the time the officials reached the venue, the organizers had already conducted their own screening process. Rajneesh Sinha, the district programme officer for WCD, told TOI that the team found no minors present at the spot. "We received an anonymous complaint with a list of names of minors. Since it did not match the list from organizers, a team was sent to check," Sinha explained. He added that the team discovered the organizers had already screened and removed the names of minors a couple of days before the ceremony.
Organizers Defend Rigorous Screening Process
Sansthan founder and Dewas VHP president Dilip Agrawal, who organized the event, stated that they had a stringent verification system in place. He asserted that applications were checked thoroughly using Aadhar cards and mark sheets, with photocopies matched against originals. "Applications by minors were detected by us and the couples were disallowed from attending the ceremony," Agrawal claimed.
Echoing this, WCD principal secretary GV Rashmi said, "As per our information, the organizers had rejected the applications from parents of minors much prior to the event. We will get it enquired into." She further stated that the department would take follow-up action against the parents of minors who applied for the marriage.
Legal Provisions and Standard Departmental Practice
Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, parents or guardians who permit or encourage child marriage face strict legal action, which can include up to two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh. However, WCD officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed a common pragmatic approach.
"We seldom enforce this condition when we detect minor marriages. Parents and couples are counselled," an official said. He explained that when parents agree to the counselling and ensure the girl is married only after attaining the legal age, the department often refrains from legal action. "We let life take its course," he added, noting that the department also maintains track of such girls through administrative channels.
The incident has highlighted the ongoing challenges in completely eradicating child marriage practices, even during large, well-publicized events, and the procedural response of authorities when such allegations surface.
