-The Times of India The true worth of a modern nation lies in its treatment of women and children. Sadly, India still has a long way to go before it can measure up to such standards. The spate of recent rapes in Haryana of at least 15 women, including dalit teenage girls, has renewed focus on the inefficacy of the law and order machinery. In place of a policy of zero...

-Outlook Sonepat: A Khap Mahapanchayat held here has appealed to the Centre and Haryana government to grant 'Khaps' the status of Lok Adalats as their decisions on various issues were "unanimous." The meeting, attended by about 70 Khaps, said yesterday that they were open to government representatives taking part in such meetings and voicing their opinions in the debates. They also demanded that marriage in the same gotra should be banned and suggested...

-The Times of India ROHTAK: Members of Haryana's sarv khap mahapanchayat would meet in Sonipat on Saturday to discuss rising crimes against women in the state and evolve a consensus on its proposal seeking lowering of the marriageable age to check rapes. The umbrella body is going ahead with the meeting despite the flak it has drawn over the proposal that former Haryana Om Prakash Chautala has also backed. Kuldeep Dhanda, a khap...

-The Hindu ‘Child marriage is not the right way to shield girls from sexual crimes’ As the demand for lowering the age of marriage has sparked outrage, the United Nations has told India that child marriage is not the right way to shield girls from sexual crimes. In a joint letter to Union Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath, four U.N. organisations have urged India to address the issue of child marriage...

-The Hindu Chautala echoes Haryana khap panchayat demand; rape not a black-and-white law and order issue, says Renuka Chowdhury Even as the former Haryana Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala, backed demands for new laws that will allow marriage of teenagers saying it would help end the surge in sexual crimes reported from across the State in recent weeks, a senior Congress leader has said that the State’s rape crisis was not a...