New Delhi, Dec 7(ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil today invited a group of tribal girls from West Bengal at her official resident in New Delhi, and lauded them for opposing child marriage.
According to media reports, five teenage girls, identified as Afsana Khatun, Sunita Mahato, Mukti Majhi, Sangita Bauri and Bina Kalindi who belonged to Purulia district met Patil in the month of May in 2009, and had urged her to extend her support to root out the social evil of child marriage.
Welcoming the girls at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President, Patil said that the girls have set an example for other girls who wanted to study further and were forced by their parents to get married before they attained the age of eighteen.
"I am very happy that all of you came here. The courage shown by all you girls is a very big thing because it will not only prove beneficial for you but other girls like you who will be forced or pressurized by their parents to get married before the age of 18 years, even they would draw inspiration from you," Patil said.
According to local media reports, Patil had given all the girls some cash as award for the resistance shown by them against the social evil.
Patil also said that the nation needs to hold a campaign and create awareness about the social evils that are prevalent in the society and work towards rooting them out.
"No matter how much you excel in other spheres, however till the time such social evils, such barbaric practices and uncivilized traditions are prevalent in our society due to which pain is inflicted either on the girls or anyone else then, in reality we cannot say that we are treading on the path of progress as they (girls) are not happy and content," she said.
Meanwhile, a tribal girl Sangita Bauri told reporters that with a lot of courage she opposed her parent's decision of forcing her to get married and tried to help her friends who were likely to fall prey to such gory incidents.
"My family members were forcing me to get married but I opposed them and told them I would like to study further and stand on my own feet. I also told them that I would marry later. There were other child marriages that were taking place in my village which was also opposed by me and my friends as they said that firstly they would study and then they would like to get married," said Bauri.
The Central federal government has taken various steps to prevent child marriage.
However, in some remote villages of eastern and southern state these evil social practices still take place. (ANI)
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