SHILLONG, AUG 7: The Maitshaphrang on Thursday threatened to stage an ‘indefinite hunger strike’ if the Meghalaya government fails to frame the rules for the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act passed in 2012 within two-months.
“We demand the government immediately frame the necessary rules for the implementation of the Marriage Act which was passed by state legislature two years ago within two months,” Maitshaprang convener Michael Syiem told reporters at a press conference.
Syiem said if the government chose to be ignore their demand it would have no other option but to resort to an indefinite hunger strike as a mark of protest and to build up pressure on the urgent need to have rules in place for effective implementation of the Act in the state.
According to Syiem, the compulsory registration of marriage act was introduced and passed during the assembly session way back in 2012.
“However, two years have lapse since the Act was passed, but the state government has failed to frame the rules to make the law come into effect,” Syiem said.
Coming down heavily on the government’s failure, Syiem further argued, “Such failure only goes to show that the state government has failed to prioritize important issues such as this one which concerns our society and social set up.”
However Syiem said, “Interestingly, the state government is more concern about welfare of the vendors which mostly are from non-indigenous community by recently approving the vendors’ bill through an ordinance.”
Stating there is increasing number of broken families in Meghalaya, Syiem said, “We have many young widows and divorcees including in Shillong because there is no Act that binds the couple to be responsible towards their action.”
Syiem said the implementation of the marriage act will to a great extent help in addressing the problem of broken families.
Stating that divorce is something which is universal, Syiem was of the opinion that by effectively implementing the marriage act, at least the children will be given proper maintenance no matter what the situation is adding it would bring some sense of responsibility in the men towards their families.
Syiem felt that the act will also bring about a change in the mindset of the people.- By Our Reporter
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