Many Muslim organisations in Kerala have criticised the union government’s move to raise the minimum legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years, but the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) welcomed the decision.
The union cabinet on Wednesday cleared a proposal to bring uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women and the government plans to bring a bill in this regard in the ongoing winter session of parliament. The proposed bill may contain amendments to faith-based personal laws dealing with marriage and inheritance.
Muslim League leader E T Mohammad Basheer on Friday introduced an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, saying the decision was against the Muslim personal law and that it was another step towards introducing a uniform civil code in the country.
“We will oppose this. The government is trying to implement the Sangh Parivar’s favourite agenda of uniform civil code. The Muslim personal law board clearly defines marriage, divorce and right to property. These issues relate to our faith,” Basheer said, adding he will talk to other political parties to form a consensus on the issue. The Congress is yet to make its stance clear on the issue.
The women’s wing of the League opposed the decision, saying the delaying the age of marriage will give way to “live-in relationships and illegitimate relations”. The Samastha Kerala Jamait-ul-Ulema, a body of Sunni scholars, and many other religious bodies also opposed the move.
“The necessity for increasing the age from 18 to 21 is not known. No medical study indicates any psychological or physiological problems if girls are married off at 18. The stipulation that girls should wait till 21 to marry is an affront to individual freedom and religious belief,” said T K Ashraf, leader of the Wisdom Islamic Organisation, a Salafi group.
Muslim bodies got support from the CPI(M)’s women wing, All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA). “We oppose the decision strongly. This will do more harm to women than helping them. Instead of bridging gender gap and empowering women, the government is coming out with a new legislation laced with communal outlook,” AIDWA said in a statement.
But the apex body of Christians, KCBC, lauded the decision to bring uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women. “We feel education remains a key factor and by 21 women will get an opportunity to complete their graduation. This paves way for a mature relationship and healthy family. Therefore, we view the decision positively,” said KCBC family commission secretary Father Paul Simenthy.
BJP spokesman B Gopalakrishnan said: “It is a move aimed at protecting overall health of women and empowering them to handle situation with maturity. It is sad that so-called progressive forces like women wing of left parties are also opposing it. Same forces once opposed triple talaaq also and changes are quite visible in the community now.”
