15-year-old girl knocks on Rajasthan CM Gehlot's door to get protection from child-marriage

Amid the government's strict policy and action to prevent cases of child-marriages, a 15-year-old girl had to seek help from Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to save herself from the social curse of underage marriage. The girl hailing from state's Tonk district, reached at Gehlot's Jan Sunwai (Public grievance hearing meeting) on Monday to narrate her ordeal and seek his intervention to stop the cruelty that she was going to be subjected too, an official statement from Chief Minister's office said.

She arrived at Chief Minister's residence along with her uncle and informed Gehlot that she was being forced by her father to get married. The girl stated that her mother had died and his father wants to get her married at this age itself. For the protection of the girl, Chief Minister Gehlot issued an order for district collector and Police Chief of Tonk to take the necessary action.

He also enquired the girl about her future ambitions and assured her of the government's help in fulfilling her dreams. Officials also informed the girl that she can avail free education facility under Sharda Balika Residential School scheme.