Stop
Honour killings
Crimes are being committed in the name of honour. The extreme forms of transgression, such as
inter-caste and inter-religious relationships, are met by the punishment of
death. The Supreme Court has come down
heavily upon such crimes.
There is a case where almost
the whole family was wiped out on the flimsy ground of saving the honour of the
family. The heart of the problem is in the conflict between indefensible
customary practice and state law. The challenge arises because honour crimes
stand at the confluence of competing spheres — customary practices, criminal
law and international law.
Honour killings are a blot to Indian society, which
assumes a patriarchial approach. Actually the seniors of the society cannot
bear women making their own decisions (if they are against the standards set by
them) and may lead to serious consequences in future in the name of honour. The
apex court strongly censured such cases in the past but due to repeated killings
it seems they have lost lustre. The parochial khaps have been adjudicating
their society since long. After the Supreme Court approved of marrying someone
their own choice, the gap between "individual's choice" and
"choice left" must be considered.
Our nation got freedom a long back ago but its people are
still struggling for their so called Honour. Everybody has the right to live
their life on their own terms and conditions but in our society illiterate
mentally is trying to control the life of their children who indicate the
change for our society. Girls are not
allowed to wear jeans, to have mobiles and not to take the decision of their
life. This mentality curbs our country's growth as we indulge in such practices.
Why aren't these patriarchs and khap panchayat leaders
charged with murder? If the government does not enforce the law, of what use is
it? This is what Arvind Kejriwal said.
The heinous crimes committed by family members must be
dealt heavily. It is condemning and pathetic. What is the difference between
Khaps and taliban? Both see women as their feifdoms and wish to exercise
control. All the talk of divine sanction and religious authority is hollow. In
reality, they cannot see women making their own decisions. It is only the fear
of losing authority around which such organisations thrive. Unrepresented by
women, these groups and their nefarious plans should receive condemnation by
the state. Otherwise, such cases of honour killing shall not abate. While we
seek to move two paces ahead towards a modern society, such killings drag us
four paces backward. It is hoped that people who kill their daughters for
honour know that they lost it when they killed her
Sati was eliminated only because of the 'English'
influence and encouragement against such primitive and barbaric parctices.
Whetever else may be said, the 'English' were re-knowned for their sense of
fair play, justice, liberal modern system of education and humane values. It
was in the background of such an ethos that this evil of Sati could be
eliminated. Raja Ram Mohun Roy was educated in England and had modern
enlightened values and so only this helped the cause further - giving it an
Indian face. In fact even the Independence for India was won mainly by the
English educated Indians, whose English education and values filled with
modern, egalitarian ideals and values allowed them to think of freedom, home
rule and self determination. For that to happen again we must have a social
reformist movement encouraged by the current Government aiming to modernise
Indian society and rid it of such anti-diluvian, primitive and reprehensible
ideas and attitudes.
When
the British could reform Indian society and rid it of evil practices such as
Sati why cannot the independent Government of India do it now.
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