Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has once again stirred controversy with his remarks on live-in relationships and same-sex marriages, calling them “against the rules of society” and warning they could lead to the collapse of the social structure. During an interview with journalist Samdish Bhatia, Gadkari stated that live-in relationships are “wrong” and questioned their impact on society, particularly children’s futures.
Gadkari cited a conversation with UK officials during his visit to the British Parliament, where he was told that the biggest issue facing European countries was that many young people were not getting married. He contrasted this with India’s problems, such as poverty and unemployment, which he described as more urgent. “In India, we have poverty, unemployment, starvation, etc. But in European countries, their biggest issue is that young people are not getting married,” he said.
Regarding live-in relationships, Gadkari expressed concern about the long-term consequences. “How will children be born, and what will their future be?” he asked, highlighting the social impact of breaking down traditional family structures. He further stressed that it is the responsibility of parents to raise children properly. “If you have children just for fun and then neglect your responsibility, this won’t work,” Gadkari warned.
When discussing societal stability, he raised a hypothetical situation where a gender imbalance might occur. “If the proportion of women to men becomes skewed, we might have to allow men to have multiple wives,” Gadkari remarked, further reinforcing his belief in the importance of maintaining traditional norms. He also argued that same-sex marriages would disrupt the social fabric, contributing to the collapse of the existing social structure.
Regarding whether divorces should be banned in an “ideal India,” Gadkari clarified that while divorce should not be prohibited, live-in relationships remain problematic. “Society will decide its norms,” he concluded while reiterating that his views on these issues are based on his belief in preserving the traditional family structure.