Punjab minister Dr. Baljit Kaur stops child marriage in Rupnagar with swift intervention

Rupnagar (The Uttam Hindu): Dr. Baljit Kaur, the Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, received information about a child marriage being planned for a minor boy in Rupnagar. Promptly acting on the matter, the Minister directed the concerned department officials to investigate and take appropriate action. The Cabinet Minister informed that a complaint was filed through Childline regarding a 17-year-old boy from Aaspur Kotla village in Rupnagar district, who was being married off, in clear violation of the Child Marriage Prohibition Act. Following her instructions, the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) of Rupnagar, in collaboration with the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer, intervened immediately and successfully stopped the marriage.

Dr. Kaur shared that the DCPU and DMPO teams, in coordination with local panchayat members and the families of both the bride and groom, intervened in Aaspur Kotla village to prevent the marriage preparations. Statements were taken from both families on the spot, and the team provided counseling to the boy, girl, and their families. The families assured the team that the boy would resume his education starting the next day.

Dr. Baljit Kaur reiterated the Punjab Government's strong commitment, under Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann's leadership, to protect children's welfare. She urged citizens to report any cases of child marriage to district authorities without delay. She also appealed to parents to understand that child marriage is detrimental to society, stressing the importance of childhood for a child's development and advising against arranging such marriages.