Marriage age: Chautala backs Khap

Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala today came out in support of the suggestion given by Khap panchayat leaders that marriageable age limit of girls should be reduced to curb incidents of rape. Comparing the prevailing scenario in Haryana with the Mughal empire era in the nation, Chautala today backed the Khap leaders' suggestion and said that the marriage age should be reduced.

After submitting a memorandum to Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia over recent cases of rapes in the state and once again demanding the dismissal of Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government in the State, Chautala said: "Four cases of rape were reported on the very day when Congress president Sonia Gandhi came to meet a rape victim in Jind district. A thing like law and order no longer exists in Haryana, and the state government is sleeping over it".

"During the Mughal empire era in the country, people used to get their daughters married at a very early age fearing that somebody will abduct their child. A similar situation is prevailing in the state these days, as young teenage girls are being gangraped and the government is not doing anything. I have seen young girls getting married due to this fear. In wake of all these incidents, if Khaps have taken such a decision of lowering the marriageable age, I think it is the correct decision".

Chautala further demanded that a special session of Haryana Assembly be held to discuss the issue of increasing incidents of rapes in the state. "Giving monetary reliefs to the rape victims is nothing but an attempt to rub their wounds," Chautala added.

On the other hand, the Khap leaders have chosen to stand by their "suggestion" of lowering the marriageable age to curb rape incidents. Randhir Singh, another Khap leader today said: "When the girls attain puberty and the boys also get young, their sexual desires are not fulfilled. Thats why they indulge in such unlawful activities. I don't think there should be any cap on the marriageable age".

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