With reference to the Age of Consent Act, 1891 consider the following statements :

1. It was Behramji Malabari, a Parsi reformer from Bombay, who advocated for this legislation.

2. The Act was supported by the extremist wing led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

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Question

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UPPSC PCS Prelims 2024 Official GS Paper-I

Answer 1

Statement 1: It was Behramji Malabari, a Parsi reformer from Bombay, who advocated for this legislation- Correct.
- Behramji Malabari, a Parsi social reformer, played a crucial role in advocating for raising the age of consent for marriage and sexual intercourse for girls.
- He actively wrote about child marriage and the poor condition of women in India, influencing British authorities.
- His efforts, along with those of reformers like Rukhmabai, led to the passage of the Age of Consent Act, 1891, which raised the age of consent for girls from 10 to 12 years.
Statement 2: The Act was supported by the extremist wing led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak- Incorrect.
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak and the extremist faction of the Indian National Congress opposed the Act.
- They saw it as British interference in Indian social and religious traditions, particularly Hindu customs.
- Tilak argued that social reforms should come from within Indian society rather than being imposed by the colonial government.
- Hence, only Statement 1 is correct, making option (2) Only 1 the correct answer.