SC order disappointing, say khaps; to file review plea
ROHTAK : Khaps in Haryana on Tuesday described the Supreme Court order terming interference in marriages of two consenting adults illegal as disappointing.
Several important khaps held meetings after the SC order and decided to file a review petition in the top court that challenged their existence as watchdogs of customary law.
“The judgment is very disappointing for north Indians who follow customary law. It is scientifically proven that marrying in same-gotra (same-clan) multiplies risk of diseases like haemophilia and thalassemia by 80 times. We will file a review petition and inform the court about these scientific facts that were not presented before it ahead of this judgment,” said Santosh Dahiya, the president of women wing of Jat Sarv Khap Panchayat.
Dahiya said the NGO that filed the petition linking khap panchayats to honour killing belonged to south India and did not know about the customs of north Indians.
“In south, they marry within families. But that does not happen in north, especially in Haryana. Don’t you see we are producing the best athletes for the country? It’s only because we are healthier. This judgment can lead to increase in genetic disorders among north Indians as well,” she said.
KHAP LEADER SANTOSH DAHIYA SAYS RISK OF GENETIC DISORDERS MULTIPLY 80 TIMES IN SAMEGOTRA MARRIAGES
The khaps said they were being wrongly rapped for promoting honour killings and opposing inter-caste marriages.
Baljeet Malik, president of Haryana’s largest Malik khap, said they have, in fact, been promoting inter-caste and interfaith marriages.
“Check any village in Haryana, you will find at least 10 inter-caste marriages. We have never objected to it. In fact we have been supporting it for a long time. We only prohibit that a man should not marry in his or his mother’s gotra because that would be impure. It is medically confirmed. We also prohibit marrying in nearby villages since we think children in connecting villages are brothers and sisters,” he said.
Malik said the courts were not interested to see how khaps have been doing progressive work. “We banned the practice of wearing ghunghat (veil). We have been promoting government’s scheme of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. But we can’t give in to same-gotra marriages because that will be disastrous,” he said.
OP Hooda, president of Hooda khap, said there was a propaganda linking khaps to honour killings.