In an appalling incident, members of a panchayat in a village in Madhya Pradesh ordered marriage of a 5-year- old girl to an 8-year old boy. The Panchayat in Tarapur village which is located in Guna has announced its ‘verdict’ in a three-year-old case and the reason for it as bizarre as the punishment.
Three years ago, father of the girl, Jagdish Banjara had hit a calf with a stone when it was eating grass in his field which led to its death and the order has come from panchayat to punish parents of the girl.
However, this is not the first time that punishment has been announced to Jagdish Banjara and his family members. In past too they have been at the receiving ends of the villagers. After the calf died, family members of Jagdish Banjara were boycotted for years, they were even asked to take a bath in Ganga and offer food to the villagers. His family abide by every punishment ordered to them.
As per ANI, the order to marry off the five-year-old girl to the eight-year-old boy has been announced as nothing auspicious has happened in the village since the calf died.
Guna(Madhya Pradesh):Panchayat in Tarapur village orders marriage of 5yr old girl to an 8 yr old boy as a punishment for the girl's parents pic.twitter.com/1hSWZDp97y
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2017
Niyaz Khan, ADM Guna said, “We are sending a probe team to this village, strict action will be taken against the culprits.”
After the incident came to light, social activists are strongly condemning the order issued by the panchayat. They are also demanding that Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi should intervene in the matter.
