Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged women to embrace motherhood at the appropriate age, saying it will prevent medical complications.
He made the remarks at a government function in Guwahati, where he reiterated the state government’s commitment to curb underage marriages and motherhood.
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The Chief Minister elaborated on how the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act would be used to punish men who marry girls below 14 years of age.
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He said such men could be punished with life imprisonment.
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Sarma emphasised that women should not wait too long to become mothers, as it could lead to medical complications.
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He suggested that the appropriate age for motherhood lies between 22 and 30 years. He concluded by reminding women who have not yet married to do so soon.
The Assam cabinet recently decided to book men who marry girls below 14 years of age under the POCSO Act.
Those who marry girls between 14 and 18 years of age will be tried under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The decision was taken to reduce the high rate of maternal and infant mortality in the state, which is mainly caused by child marriage.