Khattar opposes ‘same village, same Gotra’ marriages

In a state infamous for outlandish diktats by Khap panchayats, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday publicly lend credence to ‘Khap ideology’ that vehemently opposes ‘same gotra’ marriages and nuptial knots solemnized within the same village.

Khattar’s statement has courted controversy for it also comes in conflict with law. Khattar said Khaps in the state were being defamed. The chief minister opined people should not enter same-gotra marriages or marriages within the same village.

“Khaps have been talking about this. It’s also been scientifically proven that same gotra marriage should not be solemnized,” Khattar said at a function held in Panchkula near here on Friday.

Legally under the law, there is no restriction on consenting adults to engage into any form of marriage, irrespective of caste, creed, village bounds or gotra. There have been several cases where the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh has intervened to help and provide protection to many runaway couples who couldn’t care less for ‘same gotra’ marriages.

Khattar, an RSS ideologue, cited the example of Gujarat to drive home his criticism for same gotra and same village marriage. He said Gujarat is one state where women are addressed as behan (sisters) and men as brothers.

“Haryana has certain traditions that live on, even as there is some contradiction with the constitution on this, which needs public discussions” he said.

“Education is given to children in villages against this so that brother-sister bhaichara (brotherhood) is maintained,” he said. The CM also opined that this culture could bring down crime against women.

Incidentally, as per the latest report of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), Haryana has the third highest crime rate against women in the country. There are more than three cases of rape registered in the state daily. Khaps in Haryana have been extremely whimsical in their opposition to ‘same gotra’ ‘same village’ marriages.

There have been cases where these self-styled groups have passed diktats declaring married couples who entered same gotra marriage as brother and sister. There have been Khap leaders who in the past have senselessly even blamed eating noodles for growing rape cases.