My wife's take on the Chief Minister's obfuscatory prevarications

The Tribune, New Delhi, August 28, 2010, P. 12
Hooda’s stance on khaps is indefensible
The stance of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda before the Group of Ministers (GOM) constituted to work out the contours and the contents of the law to curb the menace of “honour killings” reeks of sheer political opportunism (news report, “Hooda’s no to law on honour killings”, Aug 26).
His contention that khap panchayats have no role in the gruesome murder of innocent youngsters is indefensible. The frenzied and sanguinary exhortations of the self-styled leaders of such organisations in full public glare have become an order of the day in Haryana. It not only creates law and order problem but also has the potential to put the social fabric in the state in jeopardy.
Moreover, even a cursory glance across the state of Haryana will bring out that these entities are predominantly caste-centric and mostly operating in those castes which are socially, economically and politically better off. Having already reaped the benefits of political empowerment, they come out in large numbers to participate in the electoral process and constitute a huge vote bank for political parties. Politicians all across the political spectrum (but for exceptions like Shamsher Singh Surjewala) try their utmost to woo them for political gains.
However, it is to be understood by one and all that any molly coddling of and patronage to such anachronistic entities will be disastrous. The posterity will look down upon us.
NEETI GOYAL, Bahadurgarh