Narwana (Jind): After Punjab and Haryana High Court decision on several writs, the representatives of nearly 300 khaps from northern states Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh attended a ‘Sarv Jatiye Sarv Khap Sammelan’ in Jind’s Danoda village in Haryana on Sunday and constituted a 521 members committee which passed resolutions seeking bans on live-in relationships, same-sex relationships and same-sex marriages, apart from demanding parental consent for a love marriages. The representatives of 23 Khaps in Haryana at a meeting sought an amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, to ban the marriages within the same village and gotra (sub-caste) in the State and make live-in relationships strictly illegal.
Majra Khap chief Gurvinder Singh Sandhu, also secretary of five-member co-ordination committee for the Khaps said marriages within the same village and gotra (sub-caste) were not allowed in these parts of rural Haryana and the young boys and girls marrying against the social norms usually led to disputes after some time. However, the government is giving police protection to such couples which is encouraging this unwanted practice. Sandhu said such marriages are not acceptable in most parts of Haryana, especially Raghubir Nain president of Binain Khap appointed president of 51 the members committee said the live-in relationships also cause social disorder and must not be allowed. Parents’ consent is necessary for love marriages as well, said Sandhu that the Khaps across Haryana had been demanding a ban on marriages within the same village and gotra (sub-caste) since a long time, but the government had failed to listen to them. He alleged, government wanted to weaken the Khaps by facilitating settlement of minor disputes at community level without legal separation.
Khap members said the courts had recognised certain rights of live-in partners at par with the married couples, but there was no provision for legal separation in such relationships similar to a divorce in a marriage and staying in live in relationship is a black spot leaving ill effect on children compelled to lead normal life without parents and many times indulge in criminal activities. They demanded an immediate ban over whether such couples living in relationships should be treated illegally. The need for better co-ordination among Khaps was also stressed at the meeting and a 23-member president board was constituted for making collective decisions on important matters. The khaps will launch an agitation if their demands are not met, they said. Talking to the media, Nain said they will talk to the government to amend the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and keep girls’ marriage at 18. Few members also met Haryana CM Nayab Saini demanding immediate implementation of their demands in the state. Binain Khap chief Raghubir Nain was deployed to hold dialogue with the Union government also in this regard.
Raghubir Nain said, “We have seen many married women and men staying in live-in relationships with other men or women and this is a dangerous trend. Their children suffer the most because of their parents’ action, causing a significant rise in the number of hate crimes (honor -killing) in the state. We urge the government to ban live-in relationships, no marriage in the same village, gotra and neighbouring villages. We have also sought parental consent mandatory in love marriages,” he added. We are not against love marriages but such marriages should be solemnised with the consent of their parents. Chahal Khap president Balbir Singh said the khaps have also demanded action against the parents who solemnise child marriage of their wards, ban on usage of drugs, save environment and restriction on dowry in marriages.
