"Shouldn't look like action is against one particular community": Maulana Madani on Assam child marriage crackdown

New Delhi [India], February 9 : President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Maulana Mahmood Madani on Wednesday reacted to the recent crackdown on child marriages by Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government.
"The action being taken against parents of children in Assam should not happen and the crackdown against child marriage shouldn't look as if the action is only being taken against one particular community. If something is being done against a particular community, then people will raise their voices," said Madani while talking to ANI.
Madani further said that with the kind of atmosphere created in the country, efforts are being made to create distance among people in the name of religion, which is worrying.
He said that Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind is trying to remove fear from people's hearts and create harmony. "It is natural to have differences too. Differences should be resolved through talks and not through speeches. We have called every organization which agrees or disagrees. And those who wish to come forward will get a chance to speak," he said while speaking to ANI.
Regarding Uniform Civil Code, Madani said that if there is a consensus on UCC, then there is no harm in it and should be done.
On the arrest of the people of Muslim society in the child marriage of the Assam government, Madani said, "We are taking action against the parents of the girls who have been married, this should not happen, it is being done against a particular community, if it continues to happen, people will raise their voice, it is natural."
"We live in one country so we belong to one. If we are Indians, then all are Indians, what is wrong with it? The Muslim community is not from elsewhere. This is an Indian community and it should be considered Indian," he added.
Meanwhile, around 2,500 people have been arrested in Assam in connection with the cases related to child marriage, said Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh on Tuesday.
Many more cases of child marriage have come to light in Assam after the state government's massive crackdown against the ill practice.
On Monday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma raised concerns about the prevalence of teenage pregnancies in the state."Our drive against child marriage is for public health and public welfare as the teenage pregnancy ratio in Assam is quite alarming - 16.8 per cent," Chief Minister Sharma Sarma said.
Sharing the district-wise data on teenage pregnancy, the Assam Chief Minister said that, Barpeta district has the highest teenage pregnancy ratio in the state with a ratio of 28.7 per cent in the year 2022.
The data revealed that a 27.9 per cent teenage pregnancy ratio had been registered in Dhubri and South Salmara followed by 24.1 per cent in Goalpara, 22.3 per cent in Bongaigaon, 21.9 per cent in Kokrajhar, 21.1 per cent in Darrang, 20.8 per cent in Morigaon, 19.4 per cent in Chirang, 18.8 per cent in Nagaon and Hojai district.
According to the data shared by Assam CM, Assam registered 6,20,867 pregnancies in 2022 out of which 1,04,264 were below the age of 19.
Dhubri and South Salmara districts registered 51,831 cases out of which 14,438 were below the age of 19.
On the other hand, as many as 64,941 pregnancies were registered in Nagaon and Hojai districts, out of which 12,188 are below the age of 19 years.