A day after a case of marriage of his son with an alleged underage girl was lodged against Tala Marandi and his son Munna Marandi, the State BJP chief on Sunday claimed that his daughter in-law was a major and the marriage was solemnised in accordance with the tribal culture. Marandi, while talking to the mediapersons at his residence in Godda, also called the whole episode a conspiracy by his opponents as the party got strengthened after he took over as State BJP president.
“We have not pressurised the bride's family to marry off his daughter and the marriage was solemnised according to the rituals of tribal culture…if there has been any anomaly, it is a matter of prove. Administration is free to take steps,” said Marandi.
The BJP leader said that his son’s marriage was fixed with another girl but the opposition got her kidnapped and finally on the request of the girl's parent they agreed to marry his son with the girl's cousin sister. “A case in this regard has also been lodged in Mahgama Police Station,” Marandi added.
Godda MP Nishikant Dubey, who was also present with the State BJP president, demanded a probe after forming a medical board so that truth could be brought in open.
“All these allegations are baseless and matter must be investigated after setting up a medical board,” said the MP. Matriculation certificate is supposed to be the valid birth certificate of any individual; hence no school has any right to prove the date of birth of its student, added Dubey.
Girl's father Bhagan Baski also claimed the age of her daughter was more than 18 years.
According to an official communication issued by Godda district administration on Saturday, a civil suit was instituted before a First Class Judicial Magistrate in Godda under Sections 9, 10 and 11 of Child Marriage Prevention Act against Tala Marandi his son Munna Marandi and the minor's father for the June 27 wedding.
The Sections under which they have been charged pertain to contacting a child for marriage and entails punitive action against parents involved in such child marriages.
Earlier, another girl had moved a local court, accusing Munna of sexually exploiting her in the name of marriage and stepping back of his promise. The complainant has also appeared before the State Commission for Women to lodge her grievances.
The aggrieved girl claimed that she got to know about Munna's marriage plans in April this year. Munna told her that she was under pressure from his parents. The girl then approached police who did not listen to her and finally had to approach the court where the matter was pending.