[Today’s Prayer] Indian police arrest nearly 5,000 people for illegal marriages with minors

Indian police announced that they have arrested about 5,000 people in a large-scale crackdown on illegal marriages with children under the age of 18.

According to the Hindustan Times and other media on the 22nd (local time), Assam, a state in northeastern India that has been campaigning to abolish child marriage since February 2023, announced that it has arrested about 5,000 people on charges of illegal child marriage, including 416 people recently.

In India, the legal age to get married is 18.

But in poor rural areas, parents often force their minor children to marry to ensure financial stability.

This is why Indian authorities are trying to curb illegal child marriages through massive crackdowns, like those in Assam.

India's Supreme Court also ruled in 2017 that having sex with a minor wife constitutes rape.

Thanks to these efforts, the proportion of female minors marrying before the age of 18 in India has decreased from 47% in 2005–2006 to 23.3% in 2019–2021, but it is still high.

"We continue our fight against child marriage," Assam said in a statement. "We will continue to take bold steps to eradicate this social evil."

Child marriage is not just an Indian problem. According to a report released by UNICEF last year, 290 million people were married as minors in South Asian countries including India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Source : YNA

“My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle. (Zechariah 10:3)

Amen! God, we thank you that in India we hear that many of the child marriages in Assam regions are disappearing, but many young sisters in India are still being married off for economic reasons. Would you have compassion on them.

Just as You punished the wrong-doing shepherds and rams of Judah and took care of the people of Judah, may You punish all the wrong-doers in India and take care of the Indian nation. Help them to become a holy nation ruled by God.

Let the Church in India be a shelter for these sisters who are suffering from the pain of early marriage, and let the sisters who are living without hope every day find eternal hope. We believe that the sisters who have met Jesus will rise above this hurt and become war steeds that will march to heal all the nations.

May the church in India rise up and reach out not only to India, but also to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and many other nations suffering from early marriage! May the vision of one million young missionaries in India be fulfilled, and may we wipe away the tears of the nations and proclaim the kingdom of God! Rise up, Indian church, like a steed of war!