No third child after 2 daughters, Rs 1 as dowry: Haryana Khap

Jind: A Khap Panchayat in Haryana ruled that couples must not have a third child after the birth of two daughters and that only Rs 1 must be taken from the girl's family by the groom, to discourage the practices of female foeticide and dowry.

In an announcement which comes as a breath of fresh air as khaps are infamous for issuing orthodox diktats, Bura Khap's head Rajbir Bura said that members in a meeting held here on Sunday have decided to felicitate couples who do not have a third child after the birth of two daughters and those who took no or only Rs 1 as dowry from the bride's family.

The Khap has also put a limit on the number of members to be part of the bridegroom's wedding procession at 21.

"The decision was much needed as too many people constituting a 'baraat' puts unnecessary financial burden on the bride's family," the Khap head said.

Bura said that a decision to shorten the mourning period after a family member's death from 13 to 7 days was also taken during the meeting. "It was also decided to end the old practice of not having wheat flour, pulses and ghee (clarified butter) during the mourning period."

Felicitating sportsmen, social activists and writers was also proposed during the meeting of the Khap members.