-The Hindu It is not unusual to hear people talk of fighting fire with fire, but is it appropriate to recommend fighting crime with crime? Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala apparently thinks it is. Endorsing the regressive views of some khap panchayat leaders in his State, Mr. Chautala suggested that the growing incidence of rape be addressed by relaxing the laws relating to child marriage (an offence under Prohibition...

-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 Times of India Four UN agencies urged India to take "incremental action" to fight the scourge of child marriages in the country on Thursday when the first International Day of the Girl Child was observed across the world. The focus of the first observance of the day is on child marriage. In a letter to Union minister of women and child development Krishna Tirath, heads of four UN agencies in India...