Should the government consider Congress MP Naveen Jindal’s brief for the khap panchayats?

GN Bureau | May 10, 2010



At first glance it may seem odd that Congress MP from Kurukshetra Naveen Jindal is batting for the khap panchayats of Haryana who are in the eye of the storm for condemning youngsters to death for marrying within the “gotra”. But a closer look would suggest that he is lending his voice to their demands for legally banning such marriages.  In a way, the khap panchayats want to be co-opted into the system by suggesting this legal measure to get rid of what they consider as a necessary social evil.

However, accepting this would amount to trampling an individual’s rights and the freedom of choice, including the right to marry someone of one’s choice, which our constitution grants. Should we then consider Jindal’s brief for the khap panchayats and restrict the individual rights or should we draw a line and tell the panchayats to honour the constitutional framework and not take the law into their hands?

 

Comments

 

Other News

AI: Code, Control, Conquer

India today stands at a critical juncture in the area of artificial intelligence. While the country is among the fastest adopters of AI in the world, it remains heavily reliant on technologies developed elsewhere. This paradox, experts warn, cannot persist if India seeks technological sovereignty.

RBI pauses to assess inflation risks, policy transmission

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has begun the new fiscal year with a calibrated pause, keeping the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent in its April Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. The decision, taken unanimously, reflects a shift from aggressive policy action to cautious observation after a signi

New pathways for tourism growth

Traditionally, India’s tourism policy has been based on three main components: the number of visitors, building tourist attractions and providing facilities for tourists. Due to the increase in climate-related issues and environmental destruction that occurred over previous years, policymakers have b

Is the US a superpower anymore?

On April 8, hours after warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” US president Donald Trump, exhibiting his unique style of retreating from high-voltage brinkmanship, announced that he agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The weekend talks in Islamabad have failed and the futur

Machines communicate, humans connect

There is a moment every event professional knows—the kind that arrives without warning, usually an hour before the curtain rises. Months of meticulous planning are in place. And then comes the call: “We’ll also need a projector. For the slides.”   No email

Why India is entering a ‘stagflation lite’ phase

India’s macroeconomic narrative is quietly shifting—from a rare “Goldilocks” equilibrium of stable growth and contained inflation to a more fragile phase where external shocks are beginning to dominate domestic policy outcomes. The numbers still look reassuring at first glance: GDP


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter