Chandigarh: Accusing Haryana Chief Minister
Bhupinder Singh Hooda of doublespeak on the same gotra (clan)
marriage issue, main opposition Indian National Lok Dal on Saturday
asked him to clarify his stand on the matter.
"The Chief Minister must clarify his and his Congress
party`s stand on the matter. He is indulging in doublespeak on
the same gotra marriage issue," INLD Secretary General Ajay
Singh Chautala said.
"He (Hooda) is saying marriages within the same gotra
are not appropriate but, on the other hand, he is maintaining
silence on the issue of amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act,"
the INLD MLA from Dabwali said.
He said if Hooda was serious on the matter, he should
immediately accept INLD`s demand and convene a special session
of the legislative assembly for amending the Hindu Marriage
Act.
"Hooda should also put pressure on the UPA government
at the Centre to facilitate amendment in the Act as early as
possible to protect our age-old customs and traditions," he
said.
The INLD is backing the demand of Khap panchayats or
caste councils for amending the Hindu Marriage Act to prohibit
wedlocks within the same gotra.
Talking to reporters at Manesar yesterday, Hooda toed
the line of Khap panchayats saying he was against marriages in
the same gotra.
"Not allowing marriage in the same gotra is part of
our customs. It is not limited to any particular caste," he
had said.
Speaking at Rohtak on Thursday, Hooda said "marriages
within the same gotra are not appropriate."
He, however, asked the self-styled community councils
to act in accordance with the law of the land to prohibit such
wedlocks.
After the diktats of Khap panchayats against couples
who had married in the same gotra sparked an outrage, Hooda
had said no one would be allowed to take the law into their
hands.
Hooda`s young party colleague and MP from Kurukshetra
Navin Jindal had attended a Khap congregation at Kaithal last
month and promised to take up their demand for an amendment in
the Hindu Marriage Act with the party high command.
PTI
