M A I N   N E W S

Jindal draws flak from Cong
No bowing to khap pressure, says Moily

New Delhi, May 11
Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily on Tuesday ruled out amending the Hindu Marriage Act in order to accommodate the Khap Panchayat's demands. "We have suggested to amend the simple marriage act, not the Hindu Marriage Act,” he added. Moily comment comes just a day after Congress MP and industrialist Navin Jindal said that he had never said anything to support the honour killings committed by the Khap Panchayats.

Earlier, Jindal has reportedly come out in support of the Haryana Khap Panchayats.

It has been reported that Jindal, who is currently abroad, sent a letter to the Khap Panchayats on Sunday affirming his support to them on the issue.

The self-styled Khap Panchayats gathered in Kurukshetra on April 13 and demanded a ban on marriages within the same ''gotra'' or sub caste.

They also protested against a Karnal Sessions Court verdict that awarded death sentences to five accused and a life-term to the leader of a Khap Panchayat for the murder of a newly-married couple.

Representatives of at least 20 Khap Panchayats from Haryana challenged the court ruling and said they would raise money to help the killers of the newly married couple.

They said they wanted the ''Hindu Marriage Act'' to be amended, to include a law that bans marriages within same sub caste or the same village. — ANI