I was 15 years old and in Class IX when my marriage was fixed. I was on the school girls committees and village committees of boys and girls and aware of child marriage and the issues and law. I was also the leader in school and attended several workshops on gender discrimination and rights of children. I argued with my father against my marriage. He threatened to take his life. I discussed this in the committees. But when they spoke about it with her father he repeated his threats. The youth were afraid of repercussions. I stopped going to school.
My school teachers noticed that I was not attending school and spoke to the sarpanch, anganwadi worker and child protection committee to take up joint action in my support. They approached MVF and all of them collectively spoke to the parents. My father asked for a week’s time to resolve the issue after speaking to the boy’s side. I did not go to school for three months after. The members of the gram panchayat met the boy and his family and spoke to them about the Child Marriage Act. The boy’s family also backed out. After three months, I rejoined school and continued to study. I am now in Class XI and actively participate in girls’ committees.
Narrative provided by M Venkatarangaiya Foundation in their report ‘…and they never lived happily ever after. The battle for justice goes on: Voices of married girls in Telangana’
