Haryana: Khaps raise pitch against ‘same gotra, same village’ marriages
Leaders of around 55 Khap panchayats and representatives of farmer unions held a panchayat at Kurukshetra on Wednesday and they threatened to boycott MPs and MLAs if they fail to clear their stand on their demands, including amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act
Representatives of Khap panchayats have given a one-month ultimatum to the government, MPs and MLAs to support their demand of an amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act to prohibit same gotra (clan) marriages in the state and urged the youths to take a pledge against “love marriages” in same gotra and same village.

Leaders of around 55 Khap panchayats and representatives of farmer unions held a panchayat at Kurukshetra on Wednesday and they threatened to boycott MPs and MLAs if they fail to clear their stand on their demands, including amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act, ban on love marriage in same gotra and same village, implementation of the exact report of the Swaminathan Commission and an act to guarantee Minimum Support Price (MSP) on all agriculture produces.
During the meeting, some speakers also urged the youths that on the occasion of the Raksha Bandhan, they should take a pledge from their sisters against love marriage.
Jaideep Chahal, president, Bhartiya Kisan Union, Julana, said they will demand a written statement from MPs and MLAs against love marriages in same gotra and same village, failure of which they will have to face a boycott.
Tek Ram Kandela, national president of Sarv Khap Jan Kalyan Manch, who headed the panchayat and nominated as the president of a 21 members committee, said, “If the government failed to act on our demands by September 30, we will hold a mahapanchayat at Jind and will announce a boycott of the MPs and MLAs for not raising our voice,” he said.
Kandela said, “We are against love marriage, especially in the same gotra and same village, and the government should bring a law making the consent of parents mandatory for love marriages”.
He said that they will send a written draft of the demands to the Union and state governments and will seek their response by September 30, failure of which the next decision will be taken at the Jind mahapanchayat.
