BJP legislator in Haryana seeks law mandating parents' permission for marriage

Chandigarh, Aug 27 (IANS) A Bharatiya Janata Party legislator in Haryana has triggered a row by demanding a law that mandates parents' permission before marriage.

Ram Kumar Gautam, known for his candid and often controversial statements, said such a decision is necessary, keeping in view the present situation.

"Boys and girls run away. There have been cases where parents are forced to commit suicide later," the Safidon Assembly constituency legislator said during the Zero Hour in the Assembly on Tuesday.

"My request to the government is to make such a law where permission of parents is mandatory for boys and girls before marriage," he said.

Responding to the demand, Speaker Harvinder Kalyan asked him to take his seat.

However, Gautam insisted on carrying on the discussion.

"If you want to say anything beyond this, then you give a notice, and whatever needs to be done, I will act accordingly," the Speaker advised him.

Gautam, popularly known as "Dada Gautam, a former member of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), switched loyalties and joined the BJP ahead of the October 5 Assembly bypoll.

Earlier, soon after the BJP and JJP stitched alliance in 2019 and formed the government in the state, Gautam, who was upset with the functioning of the government, had said the alliance was sealed in a mall secretly, indirectly hinting that, except Dushyant Chautala, no legislator was aware of the development.

In the Assembly elections, Gautam, then 73, had defeated the BJP's Minister Abhimanyu from the Narnaud constituency in Hisar district with a margin of 12,029 votes.

At that time, Gautam's sudden outburst against JJP leader Chautala was due to "deliberate sidelining" of the party's legislators and having all the plum posts.

Slamming Dushyant for keeping 11 portfolios with him, Gautam had said: "He (Dushyant) should realise there are nine other MLAs in the party. These MLAs, too, were chosen by the people. Most party MLAs are disappointed over the issue."

--IANS

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