Undeterred by criticism over his support to Khap panchayats demanding a ban on same gotra marriages, INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala on Friday said his party favours an amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act to stop intra- gotra weddings.
“My party is in favour of an amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act for incorporating a clause into it banning intra- gotra marriages,” the former Haryana Chief Minister told reporters here.
He also praised Congress MP Naveen Jindal for endorsing the idea of an amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act to pave the way for a ban on such marriages.
However, the INLD leader clarified that his party was against violence in this regard and wanted that those guilty of killings be booked and tried under criminal laws.
Both Mr. Chautala and Mr. Jindal recently expressed support to the Khap panchayats prompting their political opponents to criticise them for boosting the morale of the self-styled caste councils.
“Caste panchayats are enjoying political patronage by the Congress and INLD of Om Prakash Chautala in Haryana and this is why they are trampling fundamental rights of citizens with impunity,” CPI(M) central committee member Nilotpal Basu said reacting to support extended by Mr. Jindal and Mr. Chautala to Khap panchayats.
