Shobha Chauhan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Sojat in Rajasthan, was served a notice by the returning officer over her alleged remarks in support of child marriage in the constituency.
Chauhan, who replaced sitting MLA Sanjana Agari in this reserved seat in Pali district, had allegedly said that police will not be allowed to intervene in child marriages if she is voted to power.
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While her comments drew sharp reactions from the opposition parties, the returning officer issued a notice for violation of model code of conduct.
“We have issued a notice to her and sought an explanation. We have got the video which has gone viral. She has been given two days’ time to respond,” Ayub Khan, returning officer, told TOI.
Addressing a public rally at Sneh Sammelan at Peepaliya Kala area of Sojat, Chauhan said that there will be no intervention in child marriages conducted by a particular community in the area.
According to reports, her comment came after she was told that the some members of the Dewasi community hold child marriages but are interrupted by the police.
Chauhan’s comment was captured on video which later went viral.
“We have ‘satta’ [power] and ‘sangathan’ [state government] at our disposal. We won’t let the police intervene in child marriages,” she is seen saying in the video.
Child marriages are illegal in India.
Besides Bilada and Bansur in Rajasthan, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be addressing an election gathering in Sojat today.
