The Hindu : National : Khap panchayats seek legal sanction

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National

Khap panchayats seek legal sanction

ROHTAK: A meet of khap panchayats, which have been demanding a ban on same gotra marriages, on Sunday sought legal recognition for these self-styled caste councils and demanded laws against homosexuality and surrogate motherhood.

The ‘Mahapanchayat' of khaps, which met in Meham, about 30 km from here, also threatened to call a bandh in Haryana on December 21 if their demand for amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act to ban same ‘gotra' (sub-caste) marriages was not met.

During the meeting that lasted nearly five hours, resolutions demanding Lok Adalat status to khap panchayats with judicial powers and ban on homosexuality and surrogate motherhood were passed.

The khap panchayats also slammed, what they termed, “attempts to deprive them of their social rights in the State.” They also favoured stern punishment for crimes related to pornography.

Maintaining that amendment in any law could be done within hours if the government wished so, the former Haryana Chief Minister Hukam Singh questioned the intentions of the government over the issue of banning same ‘gotra' marriages. — PTI

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