As Himachal Marriage Bill Sparks Pratibha Singh-CM Sukhu Rift, Will Infighting Split Fragile Congress?

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posted on 2 months ago — updated on 1 second ago

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While Pratibha Singh is of the opinion that the move should have been discussed first within the party, sources in the Congress government said Vikramaditya Singh, as a minister in the Sukhu government, was in the loop

The Centre proposes but the Congress need not always oppose. For instance, the case of a law passed by the Himachal Pradesh government raising the marriageable age of women to 21 years.

The assembly unanimously cleared the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment) Act, 2024. The BJP called it their idea while chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu countered to say this was the Congress’s plan. However, the Act has once again brought out the differences within the Congress and the fragile truce between Sukhu and PCC chief Pratibha Singh.

Speaking to News18, Singh said: “Given that our party had opposed the law at the Centre, I am surprised we have passed it.” The aim of the Act is to end child marriage but it also creates issues with other religious laws like those of Muslims or Christians regarding the age of marriage.

In fact, Congress had objected to a Modi government proposal to bring the law at the Centre in 2020 but many within the Opposition, including the Grand Old Party, opposed it on the grounds that the Bill was cleared by the Union cabinet in 2021 without discussing with others and it was against the personal laws of other religions.

The infighting within the Congress in Himachal is over the fact that this will now only embolden the BJP at the Centre. Pratibha Singh is of the opinion that this should have been discussed first within the party, given the position taken by the Congress at the Centre. However, sources in the Congress government said Vikramaditya Singh, as a minister in the Sukhu government, was in the loop and it’s wrong to say the government pushed the Bill without keeping the party or others aware of the developments.

The chief minister sees the move as progressive for women empowerment in a predominantly Hindu state though Pratibha Singh’s comments make it clear that beneath the truce is an uneasy calm. Post the assembly bypoll results, the upper hand of the chief minister has for now ensured stability. But such incidents only expose the fragility of the Congress in the state.