Bengal leads in child marriage, underage motherhood: CM Adhikari pledges zero tolerance
Synopsis
West Bengal's Chief Minister has flagged a troubling distinction: the state reportedly rivals Jammu and Kashmir for the highest rates of child marriage and underage motherhood in India. Adhikari's move to invoke POCSO against husbands of underage mothers is an unusual legal escalation that could set a national precedent, and tests whether political will can shift outcomes in one of India's most persistent social crises.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari declared a zero tolerance approach to child marriage and underage motherhood on 30 September .
Adhikari said Bengal competes with Jammu and Kashmir for the highest rates of girls married and becoming mothers before age 18 .
Husbands of underage mothers are being booked under the POCSO Act, 2012 , following an earlier announcement this month.
State police have already begun taking action against family members of minors who become pregnant before turning 18 .
Adhikari criticised the previous TMC government for alleged library politicisation and policy failures in education and health .
Remarks were made at Bissingha village, West Midnapore , during Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's 2027th birth anniversary celebrations.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday, 30 September raised alarm over the state's alarming rates of child marriage and underage motherhood, declaring that his government would pursue a zero tolerance approach to eradicate both social evils. Adhikari made the remarks at a function in Bissingha village, West Midnapore district — the birthplace of iconic educationist and social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar — held to mark Vidyasagar's 2027th birth anniversary according to the Bengali calendar.
What the Chief Minister Said
'West Bengal is competing with Jammu and Kashmir for the top position in two areas. The first is the number of girls getting married before they attain the age of 18, and the second is the number of girls becoming pregnant and mothers before turning 18. This trend is deeply concerning. The state must be completely freed from this social evil, and our government is determined to achieve this at any cost,' Adhikari said.
The Chief Minister reiterated a warning he had issued earlier this month, when he announced that husbands in cases where their wives become mothers before the age of 18 would henceforth be booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. Following that announcement, state police have already begun taking action against family members of minors who become pregnant or become mothers before attaining the age of 18.
Action Already Under Way
The administration's response has moved beyond rhetoric. State police have initiated cases against family members of underage girls who become pregnant, signalling that the enforcement machinery is being activated in parallel with the policy announcements. Adhikari confirmed on Wednesday that this approach would be sustained and intensified under the state's zero tolerance framework.
Notably, West Bengal's child marriage rates have long been flagged by national health and welfare surveys as among the highest in the country. The invocation of POCSO — a statute typically associated with sexual offences against children — to prosecute husbands in such cases represents a significant legal escalation that is likely to face scrutiny from legal experts on its scope and application.
Criticism of the Previous Government
Adhikari also used the occasion to criticise the previous Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, alleging that state-run libraries had been directed to stock books authored by Banerjee. 'I will ask the authorities of the libraries in the state to stop keeping those books and instead keep books written by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar there,' he said.
The Chief Minister further argued that flawed policies of the previous administration had left West Bengal trailing other states in education and health. 'We have to improve the situation at any cost, and the new government is determined to take all necessary steps to achieve this,' Adhikari added.
Why This Matters
Child marriage and underage motherhood carry severe consequences for girls' health, education, and economic independence. The invocation of POCSO in matrimonial contexts is a relatively rare legal instrument in India and may set a precedent for other states grappling with similar challenges. This comes amid broader national conversations around stricter enforcement of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and the adequacy of existing legal tools to address deeply entrenched social practices. How effectively West Bengal's administration can translate its stated zero tolerance posture into measurable outcomes on the ground will be the real test of this policy shift.
Point of View
And its application within registered marriages will almost certainly face court challenges. The political framing, delivered on Vidyasagar's birth anniversary, is deliberate: Vidyasagar fought against child marriage in the 19th century, and the symbolism is hard to miss. What is missing from the announcement is any structural intervention — awareness campaigns, school retention programmes, economic support for families — that evidence consistently shows is more effective than punitive action alone in reducing child marriage rates. Zero tolerance as a slogan is easy; zero tolerance as a measurable outcome in rural West Bengal is a far harder proposition.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari say about child marriage?
Adhikari stated on 30 September that West Bengal competes with Jammu and Kashmir for the highest rates of girls being married and becoming mothers before the age of 18. He declared a zero tolerance approach and said the state administration is determined to eliminate child marriage at any cost.
How is West Bengal using the POCSO Act against child marriage?
Earlier in September, Adhikari announced that husbands in cases where their wives become mothers before turning 18 would be booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. State police have already begun taking action against family members of underage girls who become pregnant.
Where did Adhikari make these remarks?
The Chief Minister spoke at a function in Bissingha village, West Midnapore district — the birthplace of social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar — held to mark Vidyasagar's 2027th birth anniversary according to the Bengali calendar.
What criticism did Adhikari level at the previous TMC government?
Adhikari alleged that the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government had directed state-run libraries to stock books authored by Banerjee. He said he would instruct library authorities to replace those with works by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and blamed TMC-era policies for West Bengal lagging in education and health.
Why is child marriage particularly high in West Bengal?
West Bengal has consistently ranked among the states with the highest child marriage rates in national surveys, driven by factors including poverty, low female school retention, and entrenched social norms in rural districts. The state's performance has been flagged repeatedly in national health and welfare data, making it a long-standing concern for policymakers.
