Caste row resolved, council takes back marriage annulment decision

ROHTAK - A caste row that had led a village khap panchayat (caste council) in this Haryana district to order a married couple to end their marriage and live as siblings, was resolved late Friday evening with the annulment decision being withdrawn and the couple asked to leave the village.

A total of 21 members of Berwal and Beniwal panchayats held a joint meeting at Meham town here, and decided to take back their decision, but at the same time issued certain directions for the couple to follow.

“Now they are not required to end their marriage but they have to stay out of this village periphery. The bride, Kavita cannot enter the village in future as she has badly hit the dignity of panchayat by involving police into this matter,” said Partap Singh Berwal, who headed the panchayat meeting Friday.

The Kheri khap panchayat Saturday directed Satish Berwal and Kavita Beniwal to end their marriage as they were from the same “gotra” (sub caste).

Kavita had then submitted a police complaint and acting on it, police had booked unidentified members of Kheri village khap panchayat.

In her complaint, Kavita had alleged that during the panchayat meeting, some people insulted her father-in-law Azad Singh by stuffing a shoe into his mouth. She had threatened to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court in case police did not take any action.

“We also seek apology from Azad Singh as some angry members of panchayat had stuffed a shoe into his mouth during our last meeting. Now the controversy is over and both parties have agreed upon this decision,” Berwal said.

The couple was married three years ago and they also have a 10-months old son Ronak.

Meham Chaubisi, a higher panchayat, which had intervened in this matter and had called a meeting Feb 9, has cancelled it after this development.