A well-known social activist from Haryana, Professor D R Chaudhry, who defended ‘choice marriages’ and fought against ‘honour killings’, succumbed to post-Covid complications on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. Swaraj India activist Rajeev Godara recalled, “D R Chaudhry strongly defended choice marriages even in those cases when such couples faced wrath of khap panchayats over the issue of inter-caste alliances and marriages in same villages. He refused to apply for bail but amid increasing pressure from the public, authorities had released him from jail,” said Chaudhry’s son-in-law, Mahesh Kumar. To intensify his campaign for social reforms, Chaudhry along with prominent social activists and intellectuals had formed Haryana Insaaf Society too. A former professor of Delhi University, Chaudhry also served as chairman of Haryana Public Service Commission and member of Haryana Administrative Reforms Commission.

Source: Indian Express June 02, 2021 23:48 UTC