Page 10 - 15DEC2019E-5

of women empowerment, has come Ahirwal. After southern Haryana, the The idea to set up the marriage regis-
out with the figures of a survey, percentage of ‘sold brides’ is rampant tration camp was supported by Kharkari
conducted between July 2017 and in Rohtak, Jind, Sonipat, Hisar, Kaithal, wholeheartedly. In fact, in October itself,
September 2019, of brides who have Jhajjar, Yamuna Nagar, and Kurukshetra. as many as 22 men from the village sat
been trafficked to Haryana from Such brides are found more in the homes down to discuss how the camp could
other states. His team of 125 volun- of Jats, Yadavs, and Brahmins. help in tracking trafficking survivors
teers has, in fact, tracked down a Additionally, the Ror caste of Atta and rectify the image of the state outside.
total of 1,30,000 brides, who have Satta and Tigdi has been found to have a When this reporter asked if they would
been illegally married off to men significant population of brides bought participate in the exercise themselves,
from Haryana. from other states. The district of Mewat the group put their hands up enthusias-
has also been found to have an increas- tically and said, “Yes, we will!”
s per the survey, over 60 cases ing population of brides, who have been Kharkari will now host the marriage
have been identified in Me- sold in the last decade. registration camp, which will then be
A wat alone, where most of the organised in the villages of other districts.
trafficked girls are from the southern Support pours in Speaking to the reporter, Ram Singh,
states of India. According to Jaglan, In addition to the campaign, a marriage who is over 80 years old, says that some
Gurugram and Revari were the first registration camp will be organised in men have brought shame to the society
places in Haryana where the people Haryana in December, which would by buying brides through illegal means
bought brides from other states. allow couples to formally register their and are treating them with disrespect
Initially, the brides were bought marriages. The camp would help in iden- and torture. “This should stop!” reiterated
from West Bengal, but now people tifying cases where the brides might Singh, “if our men want to marry outside
from Haryana have started buy- have been trafficked. The registration of Haryana then they should go through
ing girls from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, marriages, involving sold brides, will be the customs and legal formalities, but not
Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Utta- greatly beneficial for such women com- through illegal means.”
rakhand. From the last three years, ing from other states, giving them an “Initially, we didn’t know how im-
the trend of buying the brides from equal place in the society, besides pre- portant it is to register your marriage
Punjab has also started. venting cases of unfair practices where but, now as I know, first thing I will do is
The trend of buying brides from some brides are ousted by their families to register my own marriage. I even en-
other states began in the area of on trivial issues. courage all the couples, both young and
PHOTOS: PARI SAIKIA

• Action starts Preparations for the upcoming
marriage registration camp are in full swing

10