The parents of the girl, who live in Gudabanda in Jamshedpur district, have fixed her wedding on April 22. Hembrom wrote the letter after she failed to convince her parents to stop the marriage.
In the letter, she mentioned that she wants to complete her education.
“My parents have fixed my wedding on April 22. I do not want to get married,” Duli said in her letter. She has also requested the school principal to stop the wedding in whichever way possible.
Duli is a student of Class 9 at Milan Mithi Uchha Vidyalaya. She has also reminded her principal about the oath that the school administers to each pupil during the time of admission.
“I took an oath at the time of admission that I will not get married before I turn 18. I do not wish to get married early,” Duli wrote.
However, justifying his decision, her father Lachhu Hembrom said child marriage was a common phenomenon in their society, as it was difficult to find a suitable match for a grown-up girl.
According to the annual health survey of 2010-11, Jharkhand is one of the states after Bihar and Rajasthan where child marriage is practised.
Around 51.8% girls in the state get married before they attain 18 years of age, according official records.
Women’s rights activist Aarati Benera said, “child marriage is illegal and a social evil. It also has a negative psychological impact on a child. They are burdened with additional responsibility at a very young age.”
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