Sir — This refers to New Delhi’s decision not to co-sponsor a UN resolution against child marriage.
Apart from the fact that the decision has not gone down well with the world community, the retrogressive step does not augur well for a progressive democracy like India, whose Constitution guarantees protection of child rights. The Government’s stand covertly substantiates the call of certain Kerala Muslim organisations for lowering the legal minimum age of Muslim girls for marriage, from 18 years to 16 years. The Indian Union Muslim league is already hand in glove with these organisations.
It seems that the Congress-led UPA Government opposed the UN resolution only to appease the Muslim community. But the party should not forget that it has still to get rid of the blot after it subverted the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Shah Bano case nearly two decades ago. The Congress must rise above petty vote-bank politics.