CHANDIGARH/KATIHAL, HARYANA, Oct 10:
As Haryana witnessed another rape—the 15th in a month, Former Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautla today backed the idea of Khap panchayats to reduce the marriageable age of boys and girls to 16 years to curb incidents of sexual assault.
After submitting a memorandum to Governor Jagannath Pahadia over recent cases of rape in Haryana, Chautal slammed the Congress government in the state for the “worsening” law and order situation.
“Four cases of rape were reported on the very day Congress president Sonia Gandhi came to meet a rape victim in Jind district,” the INLD leader claimed.
When asked to respond to Khap panchayats’ controversial suggestion, Chautala gave his suppoort, saying it will help curbing such crimes against women.
Following a rise in cases of rape in Haryana, Khap panchayats had suggested doing away with the marriageable age limit, claiming it will check such crimes.
“Boys and girls should be married by the time they turn 16, so that they do not stray… This will decrease the incidents of rape,” Sube Singh, a Khap representative had said.
A Dalit girl was allegedly abducted and raped by two youths in Kasba Kalyat area of Kaithal district in the 15th incident of sexual assault on women within a month in Haryana. The victims included teenaged girls.
Kaithal SP, Kuldeep Singh Yadav said police have registered a case against two youths Rakesh and Pawan under Section 376 (rape) of IPC on the basis of the statement made by the victim after the incident yesterday.
She was also medically examined, he said.
He said the matter was still under investigation and both the accused have been arrested.
The victim made the statement before the magistrate and levelled charges of rape against those arrested.
Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury said Haryana government cannot be blamed for the rise in rape incidents and called for a collective battle against this problem. (PTI)
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