- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notice to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development and the States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat over a practice known as ‘Nata Pratha’.
- The girls in some communities of these States are sold either on stamp paper or otherwise in the name of illegal or child marriage, mostly by their own families.
- Given the immoral consequences, the Commission has called for its eradication and abolition.
- The States have been directed to submit a report on measures taken or proposed to be taken in this regard within eight weeks.
- It suggested that individuals involved in forcing women into Nata Pratha must be prosecuted under laws relating to human trafficking.
Dig Deeper: Read about the Devadasi tradition and Jogini system prevalent in parts of India.
