Child marriages common among Gujjars 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Sarai Mastan-Chandimarh (Poonch), September 2
Even as the Law Commission has recommended that child marriage below 16 years should be annulled, some people living in this tribal belt are not even aware of the eligible age of marriage of girls.
Fifteen-year-old Rubeena Kousar (name changed), a nomad girl, is not only married but is the mother of a year-old-child.
At a time when girls in cities are in high school, Rubeena fulfils the twin responsibility of being a wife and a mother.
Her father Khuda Baksh (name changed) said: “Our people marry off their girls at a young age as it is a part of our tribal culture and tradition. I just followed that and haven’t done anything wrong”. Surprisingly, Khuda doesn’t even know what age a girl is eligible to be married.
Rubeena’s case is not an isolated one. There have been many instances where girls of the Gujjar and Bakkarwal community, in the age group of 12 - 15 years, have been married in these twin border districts, which is a clear violation of the law. Dr Javed Rahi, national secretary, Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, told The Tribune that the marriage of minor girls was a part of the culture and traditions of the Gujjars and Bakkarwal community.
Meanwhile, director, Law School, Jammu University, V.K. Kapoor, said: “I have studied the tradition of minor marriage of girls among Gujjars and Bakkarwals as part of my research on “procedure for the resolution of conflicts among the Gujjar and Bakkarwals in the state”. Kapoor said: “As it is violation of the law of land, the police can take action. But these tribes prefer to resolve their matters through their “Jirzahs” (main decision-making body). These issues are hardly brought to the notice of the police for action”.
Dr S.P. Vaid, IG, Crime and Railways, Jammu, said: “This is social problem and has to be addressed by the society.”
Meanwhile, a gynaecologist at a local government hospital said these girls suffered from high incidences of cancer of the cervix, anaemia, miscarriage, breast cancer among other gynaecological problems.