MLA Nitin Raut on hunger strike for interests of Buddhists

Nagpur, Nov 20 (UNI) Congress member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Nitin Raut staged a daylong token hunger strike to press his demand for enactment of a separate marriage and succession act for Buddhists in the Council Hall premises here today.

The Courts had ruled that marriages solemnised as per Buddhist religious rites were not recognised under the law. Mr Raut said this had created problems, especially for the women, if there was any dispute between husband and wife who enter wedlock as per Buddhist rites, he said.

Similarly, courts had ruled that children born from a wedding solemnised as per Buddhist rites were illegitimate, Mr Raut said. It was necessary to have a separate marriage act for Buddhists when such laws were in existence for various religious groups, like Muslims, Christians and Parsis, added.

Mr Raut said, he had raised the issue in the House during the budget session earlier this year.

The government had assured at the time that the relevant bill would be tabled during the monsoon session, he said. However, the bill had still not been brought before the House, Raut added.

UNI