Honour or Dishonour

Now, the water has crossed the nose level. It is time to rethink & act. Let dishonour the killing for the sake of honour. It’s a nightmare. Multidimensional remedy is required to address the issue which includes social, political & legal aspects to way out the crisis.

Women are most vulnerable section especially in Indian society irrespective of their educational and economic background. Women’s subordination is justified by the name of stereotyped tradition and value system. We treat women like landed property in which no one can dare to encroach and men are natural guard of women. It seems, as if women have no logic & right wrong decision capacity. The brutal killing of their by own family member for the honour of society is highly condemnable.

It is quite apparent that traditions have their own significance in particular society. Inter cast marriages & marriages in same Gotra are strictly prohibited in some society. Traditions of north & south India are also different. Marriage with sister’s daughter is allowed in south but it is strictly prohibited in north India. It is also important to note that marriages of Hindus should be based only on Hindu marriage act. Our mythological scriptures have stories full of love & inter caste marriage like marriage of lord Krishna with Jamvanti, Bhima with Hidimba which were socially accepted. Lord Krishna Himself eloped His sister Subhadra to marry with Arjuna. One of the respected scripture the Vishnu-Purana mentions the marriage in same Gotra after seven generations. Hence, it needs to understand our tradition, nothing is universal. Culture is a dynamic concept.

It must be changed with time.

Caste is the reality in India. It prevails all around. Such type of so called honour killing is not confined to Khaps of Delhi, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan only. Recently the supreme court of India issued notice to centre and eight states in case related to honour killing. Numerical strength of these Khap like caste councils has their political importance also. Not a single politician of any political party came forward publicly to denounce the killer khap panchayat and their activities. Ironically some politician supported and boosted the mentality of Khaps. This is nothing but vote bank politics. Political parties have politicized the murder of Rizwanur & Soharabuddin. Why not they are opposing vehemently the killing abetted by these caste councils? They are not making hue & cry over the issue as it will loose the compact vote bank of any particular caste.

At legal front, fast track courts should be established for quick justice & culprit should be punished immediately to check further deterioration.

The so-called honour killing is a humanitarian disaster where women are raped and killed by their own family member for the sake of IZZAT. No matter who will marry to whom whether out side the caste or inside the gotra, these insane brutal activities must be forcefully checked. Otherwise, these caste councils would take the shape of local Taliban and start the moral policing.