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SOCIAL CHANGE

Jaglan says that the issue is
far more complicated than
it seems. He explains that
are there are two important
factors that have majorly
pushed instances of bride
trafficking in Haryana. One
of them relates to property
ownerships.
Families in Haryana usu-
ally transfer ownership of
properties to married sons.
This means that whosoever
is unmarried cannot claim
rights to the property. Usu-
ally, in families where there
are over two sons, parents
dissuade the third son from
getting married so as to not
divide the property any fur-
ther. In such situation, the
unmarried son might look
out for girls through brokers
so that are not left without
any right to the ancestral
old, to take part in the exercise” • All for daughters The marriage registration property. And, given the skewed sex
Ramher Sharma, who is also from camp is set to begin this month ration in Haryana, brokers get these
the same Kharkari village says that an girls from poor families in other states
initiative like marriage registration — for a price.
“will bring a good name to the state valuables from the homes, which also The second factor, Jaglan says, is
and will encourage other states with a includes cases where the parents of the about families in Haryana trying to
record of trafficking to follow the same under-age girls have filed cases, where ensure that the family’s name survives
footsteps…I will definitely come with the boy’s family had to pay up to them through male heirs. This also explains
my wife to register in the camp.” after legal intervention. why Meera was resold after giving birth
Another village man Charan Singh For the fear of losing social stature, to two daughters.
(40) expressed his appreciation for the the number of cases filed by families Another contributing factor to bride
initiative. He said, “This step will ensure against robber brides or the brides trafficking is that many families with
that the sold brides enjoy the same escaping after fraud was found to be sons who are not fit physically or men-
rights as other local brides and help just around 30. tally, entrust brokers with a task of get-
erase the stigma.” ting girls from poor families who would
The real reasons be forced to marry the sons.
A new twist It is noteworthy to mention during 2014 Meanwhile, the preparation for the
In another twist to bride trafficking Lok Sabha elections in Haryana, Sunil upcoming marriage registration camp
cases, some of the sold brides have Jaglan had established the ‘Unmarried is in full swing which is expected to
been found involved into the act of rob- Male Association’, and initiated the start working this December. Jaglan,
bery which have been growing in num- “Vote Do, Bahu Lo” campaign to educate who became famous for the "Selfie
bers in the state. There is a nexus run the candidates about how due to wors- with Daughter" campaign in his vil-
by traffickers with girls’ families hand ening sex ratio unmarried youth were lage Bibipur, is working closely with
in gloves where they look for families forced to get the brides from other 125 volunteers and Amit Khatri, Deputy
with bachelors. states after selling their land. This issue Commissioner of Gurgaon, to make it a
Due to this occurrence, now all the had gone from national to internation- successful event. The event will honour
trafficked brides are labeled as the al in a very short time. couples with prizes and appreciation
‘robber brides.’ Around 1,470 brides While it is commonly understood certificates..
after being sold in the state have either that cases of trafficking exist because
returned home or escaped after looting of the perpetrators’ sexual demands, LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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