The controversial remark made by former minister and Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma over marriageable age of girls has attracted criticism from BJP leaders. After coming under sharp criticism, Sajjan Singh Verma issued a statement by saying that instead of maternity, he inadvertently used ‘reproduction’ word and he expresses regret in this regard. Actually, it was on Wednesday that Sajjan Singh Verma tried to criticise Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for advocating to increase minimum marriageable age of girls to 21 instead of present 18.

 

Verma had stated that according to doctors, girls become fit for reproduction at the age of fifteen years then what is the need to increase their marriageable age to twenty one years. “It was due to mistake that instead of maternity, reproduction word was uttered by me and I regret, but I stick to my opinion that girls marriage age should be eighteen years and it should not be increased to twenty one years,” he told. He said that Government is unable to protect girls of thirteen years (from the lusty people).

 

BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said that Sajjan Singh Verma has not received good moral values from his parents. BJP State President V D Sharma has also censured Sajjan Singh Verma over his controversial statement. In his statement, Sajjan Singh Verma added that for him, respect of girls and women has been always on priority. He accused BJP of creating unnecessary controversy over his statement. He added that over increasing the age of marriage (of girls), why not CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan does not understand the pain of girls and parents of rural areas. Girls remain in fear due to influential and anti-social elements.