Political unanimity against live-in

NEW DELHI: Monday blues didn���t inhibit the House of elders as members got fired up over laws dealing with live-in relationships. Though the initial query was if certain states like Maharashtra had sent a law dealing with live-in relationships for Central approval, the exchange very soon became one of the need ���to protect Indian culture and values��� from such developments.

It seemed that apart from terrorism, defence of ���Indian values and culture��� was another area that generated support from both sides of the political aisle. It all started with BJP ���s Madhya Pradesh MP Prabhat Jha, who in a starred question, queried whether certain states had passed laws relating to live-in relationships and sent the legislation for the Centre���s approval.

In his response, the Union law minister HR Bhardwaj said that he was not aware of such a law. And in the event the state sending a legislation for Centre���s approval it would be handled by Union home affairs ministry.

But this was not enough to placate Mr Jha. Referring to recommendation of the Malimath Committee, Mr Jha launched into a spiel in defence of ���Indian culture��� and how such a law would undermine and destroy India���s social fabric.

But Mr Jha wasn���t the only one agitated by the ���affront��� on India���s societal fabric. Members of the treasury benches also felt rather strongly about it.