Constitution gives women right to choose surname

NEW DELHI: Terming actor Sanjay Dutt's comments on his sister using her maiden name as "very very sad", Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhry today said the Constitution has given the right to any woman to choose her surname.

"It is very very sad. The Constitution has given a right to women. They can choose any name they want," Chowdhry told reporters here.

Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW) Girija Vyas was, however, a little careful while commenting on the issue saying, "we have to also understand the context in which he (Dutt) has said it".

"Media should not interfere in their private life. But in modern times as well as ancient times, a woman has a right to take whichever surname she wants," she added.

Dutt has said on Sunday that his sister Priya was no longer a part of the family. He also said girls should retain their husband's surname after marriage, thus Priya is no longer a Dutt.

Priya, who is a Congress MP from her late father Sunil Dutt's constituency, had expressed her discontent a few days back over Sanjay's decision to contest from Lucknow on a Samajwadi Party ticket.