Chautala backs opposition to same-gotra marriage
By IANSMonday, May 10, 2010
NEW DELHI - Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala Monday met Home Minister P. Chidambaram to seek an amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act to ban marriage between people within the same ‘gotra’.
The meeting came a day after Congress MP Naveen Jindal reportedly voiced support to the Khap panchayat’s (caste council) opposition to the same-gotra weddings.
“We are opposed to same-gotra marriage,” Chautala told reporters after meeting Chidambaram.
“The Indian National Lok Dal was the first to support it (Khaps’ demand) as it is not right scientifically and medically. Now, if Jindal or anyone else supports it, I am thankful to him,” he said.
Haryana’s caste panchayats say that men and women from the same ‘gotra’ are akin to siblings and so cannot marry one another.
Chautala, who gave a memorandum to Chidambaram, added: “We will bring a proposal in the state assembly regarding this. This (marriage within same gotra) is not in sync with the Indian culture.”
In April, the Haryana Khap panchayats sought an amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act seeking a ban on marriages within the same gotra.
The demand came when they were protesting against the conviction of six people, including Khap panchayat leader Ganga Raj, in the honour killing of a couple who had married within the same gotra.
