Assam: Crackdown on child marriage targets Muslim and tribal communities

The Assam police, under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's initiative, recently arrested 1,039 individuals in a renewed crackdown on child marriage. This effort, which follows a similar campaign in February resulting in 3,907 arrests, particularly targets marginalised Muslim groups and tribal communities in the state known for practicing child and early-age marriages. While the detained individuals' religious breakdown is not specified, concerns have been raised by Muslim groups about the campaign. Additionally, the Assam government is addressing polygamy and aims to enact an anti-polygamy law by the end of 2023, in consultation with stakeholders. With 32% of women in Assam marrying before adulthood, surpassing the national average, these measures seek to curb teenage pregnancies resulting from child marriages.