Date:06/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/06/stories/2008100650970300.htm

Karnataka

‘Children married off at function’

Staff Correspondent

GADAG: Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) has alleged that several minor girls were married off during a mass marriage held in the presence of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in Gadag on Saturday.

Sriramulu Balaga had organised the mass marriage in which about 2,001 couples tied the knot. Lakhs of people participated. The CACL team, led by State convenor V. Susheela and State coordinator Praveen Sali, which witnessed the event said that close to 40 per cent of the couples, mainly girls were minors. The team added that the child marriages were conducted in the presence of the Chief Minister even though they had alerted the authorities concerned in advance. Ms. Susheela said that CACL had written a letter to the Chief Minister and the district administration urging them to take steps to prevent child marriages during the mass marriage. However, no action was taken, she said.