Arunachal Pradesh CM says draft bill seeking to end polygamy needs discussion at length

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday refuted the news of tabling a bill that seeks to abolish the practice of polygamy among the tribes in Arunachal Pradesh in the next Assembly session. He said such bills which are related to the traditions and affairs of the tribes, first need discussions at length.

Talking to reporters on Monday, Khandu said, “I mentioned about the bill in the Thanksgiving programme of honourable Prime Minister because I want everything to be transparent. Our Home Minister has also clarified in the media that that such bills which are related to  traditions and our tribes cannot be placed just like any other bill. This is not a normal bill. So I said that this bill should be discussed at length.”

The Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women, Arunachal State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Arunachal Pradesh Women's Welfare Society has submitted a draft bill seeking to end polygamy to the Chief Minister’s office a few days back.

“Not as a Chief Minister, but on a personal level I have always discouraged polygamy and in future also I will always be against it. This practice of polygamy which has been there among many tribes, is not at all good,” Khandu added.

The hill state has 26 major tribes and many sub-tribes. Polygamy is widely practiced among certain tribes. Rights activists say polygamous man takes teenage girl from weaker section for marriage but later the girls get subjected to abuse.

“Arunachal Pradesh has 26 major tribes and feelings of everybody should reflect while tabling a bill related to them. But people have taken this issue to a wrong direction in social media. They have started saying that the government is tabling this bill in the next Assembly session which is wrong.”

However, Khandu stressed on the rights of tribal women in the state and that women should be empowered.

“We should talk about polygamy, property rights of woman etc. Women should be empowered and respected. They should get what they deserve, he added.

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