"Will personally come to your house": TN Minister Aadhav Arjuna warns against marrying girls below 14
Tiruvannamalai, July 19
Tamil Nadu Cabinet Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Saturday expressed concern over the prevalence of teenage pregnancies in parts of the state, describing the situation as "deeply distressing."
Addressing a gathering at the 26th Summer Festival held at Jawadhu Hills in Tiruvannamalai district, Arjuna stressed the importance of girls' education, saying that with proper educational opportunities, they could go on to hold positions of leadership, including that of the Chief Minister, as former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had.
He said the government's foremost priority was to ensure quality education for girls and added that Chief Minister Joseph Vijay had asked him to convey this message directly to the people.
Highlighting child marriage as a major concern, Arjuna said the practice of marrying off girls at a young age remained prevalent in parts of northern Tamil Nadu, largely due to a lack of education among women.
"If anyone marries off a girl below the age of 14, I will not wait for the police. I will personally come to your house," he warned.
Arjuna also said the political change in Tamil Nadu in 2026 had been driven largely by women and youth.
"The political change in Tamil Nadu in 2026 had been driven largely by women and youth, and Chief Minister Joseph Vijay had entrusted him with the responsibility of serving as the minister in charge of Tiruvannamalai district. The present government was committed to addressing people's concerns, particularly in the northern region, where issues such as women's education, agriculture, road infrastructure and drug abuse continue to be major challenges. Several related issues have remained pending in courts for decades," he said.
The minister further said the government was working to create more employment opportunities in Tiruvannamalai district. He expressed confidence that within the next five to six years, sufficient local employment would be generated, reducing the need for residents to migrate to other states in search of work.
Tourism Minister Rajesh Kumar also attended the event as the chief guest.
District Collector Vandana Garg presided over the function. The ministers were accorded a traditional welcome with ceremonial music on their arrival and later viewed decorative exhibits made entirely of vegetables.
During the event, the ministers inaugurated development projects worth Rs 65 crore implemented by various government departments and distributed welfare assistance to beneficiaries.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good intentions but "I will personally come to your house" sounds like a threat from a goonda, not a minister! Slightly undignified for a cabinet minister to speak like that. Still, if it scares people into stopping child marriage, maybe it works. But let's also educate parents about the legal age properly.
The fact that this is still happening in 2026 is shocking. We need to understand the root causes. Often families marry off young girls because they can't afford to educate them or fear for their safety. Minister should talk about free education and skill training programs too! Still, strong words needed. 👏
I'm from the US and this breaks my heart. A 14-year-old is still a child. Glad to see Indian leaders taking a firm stand. The mention of Jayalalithaa as a role model is powerful – education really can change everything. Hope the development projects help create real change in these villages.
As someone from northern Tamil Nadu, I can tell you child marriage is still a problem here. But threats alone won't work – families need economic alternatives. The Rs 65 crore development projects are good, but we need sustained efforts over a decade. At least someone is finally talking about this openly. 👌
Respect to Minister Arjuna for taking this seriously. But the legal age for marriage in India is 18 for girls, not 14! Why is he specifically talking about 14? That's still illegal! Either way, good that he's creating awareness. Education and employment are the real solutions – not just warnings. 🚩