Young heroine

When Bilkis Khatun, the nine-year-old, fourth standard student, walked 5 km to the police station on her own and lodged a complaint against her mother, who allegedly forced her into marrying a 25-year-old, she created history in her small hamlet as much as Nisha Sharma did in Delhi. This was a revolution of sorts. On July 14 Bilkis was married to Tufan Shiekh much against her wishes. Two weeks later Tufan left for Lucknow where he worked as a mason leaving Bilkis behind with her mother. On August 25 Bilkis told her mother she had to leave for school early, walked up to the main road and caught a trekker to the police station, 5 km away. And then, "the little girl simply strode into the police station and narrated her plight to the officer on duty". This to me is a definite act of heroism. It takes a lot of someone to stand against one's own family and speak against the social evils. And it takes everything of a nine-year-old. What is even more heartening is the fact that Bilkis' community has not deserted her as is wont to happen in such cases and the Muslim leaders have clarified that she can indeed get a divorce from her husband without any hassles. The mother and the kazi who registered her marriage have now been arrested, and Bilkis' has been recommended for the President's bravery award. One courageous step, one voice of dissent - sometimes that is all it takes to fight against established customs in the society and family. And in such cases age truly doesn't matter. To me, she is more of a star than Nisha Sharma ever was.

Update: And, of course, there is this. Yet another victim of child marriage, Savita has decided not to honour the "wedding vows" made on her behalf 17 years ago, when she was but three years old, despite ostracism by her community. Savita says "child marriage is illegal, which it is, and that she will never accept it". Fortunately for her, the family, including her brothers, are supportive. This truly is encouraging especially in a state like Rajasthan where women empowerment is always a dream deferred. As Kalpana Sharma points out, "the adversity that women like Savita face in a State like Rajasthan often produces spectacular stories of courage". There was Bhanwari Devi of Bhateri village, of course, who had fought against precisely this social evil. This is the stuff legends are made of. Bhanwari Devi may not have "succeeded" in the true sense of the word, and ended this terrible ritual, yet "something is clearly getting through to the next generation of girls", and Savita's struggle reminds us all of this: that women "do have a choice and Savita is one brave woman who has decided to exercise it".