Honour Killing-a slur on the society

                     “Love is the emblem of eternity; it confounds all notion of time; effaces all memory of a                                        beginning, all fear of an end.” – Madame de Stael

 

Haryana is infamous for killing its daughters. Efforts are made her to kill in the womb or as if she survived somehow, new born is subject to perpetrating inhuman and callous mindset. Even if she survives the first two big salvos, she is killed at the doorstep of her youthhood. The ignominy of killing its daughters is not on vane but abysmally on rise. This indicates that people are of animalistic mindset and no voice of opposition is heard from any quarter whether it is social organizations or political dispensation. Boasting is the typical character of this barbaric Haryanvi society. The government and its advocates fondly claim that Haryana is number 1 in economic front on many indicators but forget to mention that the state is competing in garnering the number 1 spot of killing its young ones. Big claims are made of brotherhood amongst 36 biradaries for centuries and it will be maintained through socio-political approach. But truth is that the lip service is made to garner the votes of the highly fragmented society on caste lines. And this fragmentation witnessed a sharp increase in the caste conglomeration primarily spearheaded by the political dispensation. The heads of leaders of different castes are joined on the platforms showing the pseudo oneness. Fact is that the so-called socio-political leaders at grassroot level or village are the torchbearer of spreading hatred and canard amongst the already fragile society. The young men and women are preached and trained to safeguard and maintain the static hierarchical social order. These young minds spread this venom vehemently in the institutions where they go or amongst their peers. The intolerance, pseudo caste honor and mindset of belonging to a particular caste and clan is hardened and reflects in the social discourse.

Honor killings clearly, the continuing shame of India despite the country’s major advances in several domains – are powered by the status and pride among individuals over the castes, sub-castes and religions they belong to. Utmost importance is given to the ‘purity’ of the family and that of ‘sense of belonging’ to a particular social segment has led to the most abhorrent outcome of patriarchy in the form of ‘honor killings’.

Unprecedent incidents of honor killings were appeared in the columns of newspapers in the month of June and July as if gushing water breaks the barrage. 27 year old Saravjeet Kaur was killed by her parents in village Nijadela Kalan of Sirsa district by her father and brother on she having a connect with a youth of nearby village despite opposition of her family. Komal was mercilessly killed by her adolescent brother, just 17 years old because she married with a boy of lower caste in Kaithal. The height of his criminal's mindset reflects when he shared a video on social media. A newly married couple, Tejvir and Meena was brutally murdered in a park oh Hansi in full public view. The couple initially availed the police protection but life can’t be run in four-walls, it needs certain livelihood to pull and prove the love. A youth was murdered in Rewari when he visited his love-interest and another Youngman, Gaurav Malik was murdered in Banchari village of Palwal district when he visited to his in-laws after around one and half month of marriage.

The spectrum of incidents clearly indicates that the virus of honor killing is inflicting the society in the cross-breadth of Haryana. The killers in all the reported cases within a short span of hardly one month shows that family of either girl or boy is involved in the heinous crime.   

‘Honor killing’ also called ‘shame killing’ is the murder of an individual, mostly by the victim’s own family members, to protect the ‘dignity’ and ‘honor’ of the family when it involves inter-caste, inter-religious marriages or relationships. In most cases, the victim is a woman, although in several cases the man/boy is also targeted. The victims in most cases are from lower castes of the society, if he is boy and girl, if she belongs to upper caste or both boy and girl if they belongs to the same caste or different upper castes.

Although honor killing cases are more prevalent in a few North Indian states, like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, Jharkhand and Punjab, but Haryana has attained a unique kind of notoriety in honor killings. Now, this virus is spreading its tenterhooks in the southern states too. One of the late spread of this virus could be iron curtain raised between the castes and communities which couldn’t manifest because of variety of reasons but now youths, both boy and girl are coming in contact in the era of social media and internet which made easy access and interaction. As per the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of honor killings reported in India was 25 each in 2019 and 2020, and 33 in 2021. But these figures are based on those reported, and the number could be much higher than mentioned as most cases go unreported. These crimes take place throughout the world and are not limited to one specific religion or faith. However, they have rather significantly and consistently occurred in various parts of the Middle East and South Asia, with nearly half of all honor killings occurring in India and Pakistan.

Honor killing could be better understood that it is done to “eradicate the dishonor and shame brought by family members”, especially a woman by marrying or seeking a life partner belonging to a “lower caste”, which they feel does not “match” their social status. It is based on a fear of being ‘out-casted’ if such relationships are allowed, and there have been several cases where families have been humiliated for allowing a girl to marry outside, especially someone from a “lower caste”. Honor killing is nothing but a ‘‘planned murder’’ to safeguard the honor and prestige of a family to prevent it from “falling in the eyes” of members of the social segment they belong to.

While honor killings receive clandestine support and license from certain ‘respected’ quarters within the social group to which the perpetrators belong, there is no law to specifically deal with honor killing. The crime is dealt with as ‘murder’. Unfortunately, the law sees ‘honor killing’ as murder, not a larger conspiracy that ends up killing the innocent with a certain degree of social backing.

In Haryana, such crimes have the blessings of bodies like the Khap Panchayats, which provide extra-constitutional blessings for ‘honour killings’. They ignore Articles 14 and 15 of the Indian Constitution, dealing with the right to equality and not allowing discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, gender or place of birth, respectively. The Constitution’s Article 19 provides the right to freedom, while Article 21 grants the right to life, which honour killings directly violate with the blessings of family elders. It also violates the rights of individuals to choose a life partner, irrespective of which caste or religion he or she belongs to.

The Supreme Court in 2006 observed: “We sometimes hear of ‘honor’ killings of such persons who undergo inter-caste or inter-religious marriages of their own free will. There is nothing honorable in such killings, and in fact, they are nothing but barbaric and shameful acts of murder committed by brutal, feudal-minded persons who deserve harsh punishment. Only in this way can we stamp out such acts of barbarism.”

It noted: “In our opinion, such acts of violence of threats or harassment are wholly illegal, and those who commit them must be severely punished. This is a free and democratic country, and once a person becomes a major, he or she can marry whosoever he/she likes. If the parents of the boy or girl do not approve of such inter-caste or inter-religious marriage, the maximum they can do is cut off social relations with the son or daughter, but they cannot harass the person who undergoes such inter-caste or inter-religious marriage.”

Most often, it involves the murder of a woman or girl by male family members, due to the perpetrators' belief that the victim has brought dishonor or shame upon the family name, reputation or prestige. Honor killings are believed to have originated from tribal customs. It seems that society has grown only in the sphere of material gains, hollow educational system, no cultivation of science’s accomplishments in the social behavior and belief. No social movement is in evidence, not even the voice of resentment, opposition and condemnation is heard from the social and political organization. The movement for economic demands have been witnessed in last 2-3 years but not a small demonstration was held against the decaying social values. The perpetrators of such heinous crime as that of honor killings are found to decorate the stage along the political leaders of different parties. Whom they will Fear? Glaring is the fact that law enforcing contingent comes from the same segment of the society with similar mindset who himself or herself believes trans caste and religion marriages as aberration and sin. Who will enforce the provisions of the constitution of equity and freedom of mate selection for the adult human being? Can the the youth be deterred from the love plunge? Can the honor killings forbade the youths not to fell in love? Love is an emotion that's highly abstract and has potential to entice the beloved as if a favored hunt. Martin Luther King Jr. Propounded that “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”  

 

 

Choice of mate selection : a forbidden outcry for girls in general and in particular of Haryanavi girls

We are in the closing of first quarter of 21st century. India has attained its political independence more than 75 years ago. It is claimed that we are the largest democracy in the world. We were 33 crore in 1947 and now our number swelled to 142 crore, of which approximately half is constituted by women. The political independence has opened the gates of economic, educational, cultural and gates of liberal thoughts to the women also to some extent, if not equivalent to their men counterparts. Certainly, position has improved significantly in the social milieu too. The constitution and many legislations and, statues have proved to advance the intervention of women in almost all walks of life. She is not the same as that of during the period of pre-independence or early part of the post- independence. Generally she is placed better in most parts of the country if compared to the early years of independence. At the same time she is also having harrowing experience in her personal life, if only the disbursement of economic benefits are considered. She is more poorer and has lesser reach of the meagre benefits of the economic development reaches the common man compared to her male counterparts within the bracket of family. She is dependent upon the men of her family for money or anything that can be bought by the money. It is a fact that she is equal partner of his man in earning these meagre and insignificant monies by hard toiling and shouldering without any complaints with men of her family. She works in factories, mines, agriculture fields, offices, domestic help- a newly created venture for her which is almost 100% reserved for her, she contributes equally in begging and solely made to engage in selling her limb in the treacherous flesh market. In nutshell, she is equal partner in any of the economic activity. Although, some specific fields are solely reserved for her. 

     When it comes to give her back the dividends what limited has attained in the form of whether it is education, health access, nutrition, dignified living, share in decision making etc. she is erased mercilessly what may be the strata of the society. She is reduced to a tool to garner money through her labour potential, to warm the beds of her man, produce children, gratify the social ego of men being his as that of inherited or acquired property, she is made the symbol of honour which ironically not rest for herself as a woman. She is victim of female foeticide and if survives somehow, subjected to ills of any proportion. She is akin to weed that grow in agriculture fields with economic crops. To kill it though insecticides or pesticides and if even if survive, uprooted. She is that weed, on survival, decorate the platter to supplement the food to appease the taste buds. 

  Now the girls have a limited access to education what may if it is not at the level of boys but as the basic character of education, it makes one to think, analyze and create different many permutations and combinations of possible outcomes. Education has potential to activate the mental faculties of the person who has access to it, least maters the medium and it was accessed through. This nuance of education has made the girls to think and make decisions for themselves. It’s the other thing that in most cases they are unable to implement for their own benefits and good, if those are in contrary to so-called social norms. Girls of any strata of society are indulging in making such decisions for themselves for decades but in most cases they cannot afford to share with their parents or the family at least if those are pertain to choice of mate for them. For the larger part of social development and churning, they toed the line of thought and pronouncement of their elders and meekly succumbed to those dictates without saying a word and accepted those as their fate. This succumbing is glorified in vernacular tales, stories, kisse-kahaniyan and the film and television media not fend itself far behind in eulogizing this idea. Last decade is witnessed the shrinkage of world on alarming fast pace on the invent of internet, development of social media, easy reach to so-called obstinate and obscure contents which were highly restricted or can say no reach at all. Now everyone of any age segment can read, view and explore every possibility and have easy access to it. Today’s individual’s privacy is public. How can girls of any social milieu be put under iron curtain? This revolution in information technology has made its reach to girls not only of affluent section of society but also to the girls growing in the small non-descript rural hamlets even in far flung areas miles away from the cities and towns. The invention of the information technology was for the galvanize the economic development which it definitely fetched for the nations and societies across the world but it is the fact that it has given equally a potent weapon in the hands of creators of social media platforms like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and numerous others to reap the rich harvests of money which is in the pocket of common man. 

  What may be said of the ills of social media but none can deny the fact of its immense reach to young minds who not only explored it for creating connections world wide and allow themselves to be influenced by the alien cultures and in turn influenced the people who are coming in their contacts. Certainly, good effects have primacy of little ill one. Today, world has reduced into a global village where one can easily converse, talk and exchange knowledge and information without any hurdle. Today, all kind of information is available on one’s computer, laptop, tab, e-book and so many other gadgets. More interestingly, it is available on one’s 6” screen of mobile phones which are as if pocket dynamite. Alfred Nobel invented the dynamite to usher the new potential for human development and growth but it was used equally for the destruction by making atom bumbs. Likewise, IT inventions have changed the face of modern world. This new revolution has broken the inertia of thought process and interpersonal linkages. 

  Things are changing fast at world stage which are inclusive in nature and thereby, affecting the mindset, thought process, view towards life, personal independence, decision making for the self and how to use the physical body. The girls in general and girls of rural Haryana cannot remain aloof and alien. They have their own thought for their life and here the real duel raises its head. Social development lagged far behind if compared the thought process of young minds. The culture and social structure in rural Haryana is still spearheaded by the dictates of khaps or local self-styled so-called hegemonial leaders and families living therein are explicitly influenced by this behaviour, rather they are part of this  feudalistic approach and allow such elements to influence and decide the fate of their children when they choose some different path for their life. Its more true if girl is raising head. The whole system come forward laced with the false slogan of honour and pride of the society and forces and compels the girl to toe the line. If she resists it, her wellbeing, dignity and honour to her bodily sacrament is in danger and in most cases she becomes the victim who cannot say even a single word regarding what has been meted to her. The cases of honour killing are regularly occuring in different parts of Haryana. As per newpapers reports, 24 cases of honour killing reported in year 2019, 8 in 2020, 5 in 2021 whereas 3 and 7 in 2022 and 2023 respectively. These figures contemplate the ugly face of our society. However, how many cases gone unreported, none has an idea. 

  Glaring to note that when a girl somehow able to contact the police or women protection units which are working under different nomenclature through the Helplines, the response is very pathetic and frightening. Instead of rendering the timely help to save her and her dignity as a women, in most cases, she is looked upon as a rogue and ill character woman/girl, despite the fact that most of such units and agencies are led by women.  Although there is no surprise in it as they are the carrier of feudalistic and patriarchal thought and on the very first instance, advise the girl to surrender before the will of the society by citing different many moral lessons of varied hues. Interestingly, they are akin to the alternate host for the parasites to survive the parasite in the time of adverse situations. The police or women protection units are responsible to subvert the novel path adopted by a girl to decide for herself and her body. The girl who taken courage to fight the odds of the society and her family is made a harried lot to fend for herself or become a victim in the hands of someone else who comes in the garb of help or compel her to surrender before the system that will treat her as a thing and pose an example for the others. What may be the hurdles, the progress and growth imbibed by the girls through education and profound and vigorous body of knowledge accessed through new tools of information technology cannot be tamed for the indefinite time. One after the other girl will choose and challenge this rotten system for garnering of the basic right to decide for her life and how she wihses to use her body. No barrier in the shape of feudalistic and patriarchal approch will succeed in her fight which is demanding a small thing and that is the right to live her life as per wishes. 

Honour killing- a regressive medieval mindset of Haryanvi society!

Dictionary meaning of the honour killing is a murder committed by a male on a female relative considered to have brought dishonour to the family, usually through sexual activity forbidden by religion or tradition. The deliberate pre‐planned murder, usually of a woman, by or at the behest of members of her family motivated by a perception that she has brought shame on the family. The female in the Indian rural society particularly is considered as a thing or asset who is owned by his family,, not a living being. Although mindset is not far changed in urban areas also as most of the towns and cities now expanded on the selective migration of rural people because of jobs, business, educational access or of numerous such reasons. Interestingly, the people moved in cities chosen to live in clusters where the traditional thoughts are prevalent as that of villages. The shifting in the cities only changed the living pattern as facilities of various kind is easily accessible. Even the so called educated people adorning high positions in government or private sector, universities and colleges, trade or business and have tremendous influence on society and have discrete political affiliations, are the socio-political influencers who have great say in the area they reside. Abstractly, it may be said that situation is not much different in urban and rural areas if it is concerned with the honour of family or the society.

Honour killing is a centuries old malaise which is generally termed as custom or tradition is still prevalent in our societies. In several northern Indian states, such as Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, the western region of Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, the incidents of honour killing are periodically reported. Religion, caste, community, and traditional attitudes are the most essential factors in an honour killing. Honour killing largely involves girls or women marrying against the parent's wishes, having extramarital, premarital relationships whether consensual or non-consensual, marrying inside the same gotra or outside one's position or marrying a cousin from an alternate position. Honour killing has emerged as a gender based crime, chiefly. Haryana is comparatively a small state in the close vicinity of national capital which is an axis of national politics and seat of central government. Haryana boasts of leap in agriculture and industrial growth and central to all the movements being near to Delhi. Unfortunately, Haryana is poor in social indicators particularly affecting the fair sex. When its growth is mapped on the richness of social development, it looks like a tribal society. The national fame comic poet Jaimini Haryanvi finds glorification in his recite that “Haryana is a land where lovers found hanged on the tree”. A typical pattern has been witnessed in the honour killings in Haryana that if girl is of higher caste and boy from lower caste, both are killed. If boy is from higher caste and girl is from lower caste, generally girl is killed. If both boy and girl have lineage in upper caste, there is possibility of compromise. It clearly indicates that societal norms for women and lower castes or dalits are quite different. Those who participate in honour killing often justify their act by stating that their action will provide deterrence to others and will prevent them from committing such an act which will bring disgrace to their family and society. From the past, the price to protect the honour of the family was always paid by woman folk, who were seen as weak and dependent, are shouldered with the responsibility to maintain purity and honour of the family.

The concept of caste system and endogamy are the major determinant of mate selection. The mindset of the people whether in rural areas or people shifted from villages to urban centers, their thoughts govern by caste. Generally no marriage alliance is permissible outside the caste. This is the major root cause of the honor killing. Because of access to education in schools, colleges or institutions or jobs has necessitated the living of youths outside in the hostels, PGs or other rented accommodations and this dimension has allowed them to freely interact and mingle despite the consideration of castes or religion. Living together and continuous interactions led the youths in developing friendship, relationships, love interests as natural vent of mutual feelings and emotions. The changed situations demands for the change of outlook and mindset but unfortunately that's not existing in the society. Parents, guardians, community leaders and khaps are the deterrent to the budding relationships mutually by consent amongst the youths. The caste system and endogamy prevalent in the society prove as an abhorrent factor and compel the youths either to finish the relations or ready to be died. Khap Panchayat over decade has created their villainous image and has turned into an institution which won’t hesitate to go to any extent in order to satisfy their ego. However, with the passage of time there has been considerate change in the thoughts and rituals of Khap Panchayat and might be seen in near future as an institution which will oppose honour killings rather than promote it.  

The news of killing three youths in Kaithal and Karnal in the name of honour was appeared in the newspapers on 17th September, 2023. The news is highly disturbing. In earlier years several such killing have been reported from different parts of the state. To name a few, such as Manoj-Babli (2010) in a village of Kaithal, Monica-Rinku of Neemriwali (2010), Murti Devi of Kansala (Rohtak) in 2014, Sarita Devi of Naraunkhera village of Gohana, Sonepat in 2014, Ravinder and his wife of Dhrana in Jhajhjhar who were killed by their parents and relatives on the concealed dictate of Khap panchayats.

Marriage of Satish of Kheri Maham and Kavita of Bhagi-Bahrod was annulled by such so called khap panchayat and the couple was ordered to be brother-sister despite having a child out of this wedlock. Similarity,  in village Siwaha of Panipat district, lower caste couple was dictated to dissolve their solemnized marriage or face the consequence. These are a few cases only which have been quoted. In fact there are numerous incidents of honor killing are happening in Haryana over the years. National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) reported 25 cases in its report of 2020 of honor killing. Because most cases are classified as suicides or accidental deaths or registered under different sections of the IPC, the correct record of honour killing cases is not maintained. The genesis of this criminal mindset rest in the highly intolerance, irrational social behavior and eulogized thoughts of family honour. These incidents are indicative of how our social system is regressive and feudalistic which permits the parents to turn monster for their own children and not hesitate to take away their lives. The reasons behind such atrocious thinking are absence of social discourse, no freedom to an individual to choose the life partner and no fear of law.

Courts has dealt these cases sternly and awarded exemplary punishments for honour killing. The decisions of the courts are not proving deterrent for the perpetrators of honour killings. The rigid caste system and imperious religious boundaries, traditional mindset, pseudo social values, no discourse on the social values and evils, no voice of female in mate selection, patronage of khap panchayats and social and political leaders which are responsible for this regressive medieval thinking are not questioned. Fact is that there is practically no social movement or social churning in the society which oppose this brutal tendency of killers which relegates the humans at the lower pedestal than the animals. The Haryanvi society is in the state of inertia which is silent on the social issues and the leaders both of khaps and political parties are involved in seeking the dividends of political power. The problem of barbaric thought is more societal than legal and needs to be addressed primarily at the level of society; besides taking stringent panel action against the criminals.

It is the stark reality that new social-economic, educational dimensions have opened the gates for more vigorous cross social contacts at the places of education or work places or mixed habitats in urban areas. Interactions and unbridled mingling of the young boys and girls, man and women across the castes and religion is unstoppable. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, snapchat, telegram, Instagram and numerous other have provided the potent weapon in the hands of the people particularly young generation for unabated, unceasing and round the clock contact and interactions. If interactions unfathomed and unrestricted and; which cannot be contained and bounded in today's scenario, relationships, love interests and marriages bound to happen naturally. No force can change the rule of nature. The pace of inter-caste or inter-religious or intra-locality marriage can be slowed down for sometime but never can be stopped. The so called slogan of ‘love-jihad’ or anything else will prove futile but surely take away some precious lives. The long queues of boys and girls in the district courts and High Courts for protection and marriage is the vivid example of the changing ground situations and more youngster are involving in the inter-faith and inter-caste relationships. Is this new blowing of the wind in the society not worth consideration for the society as a whole, social and political organizations to think and churn and erase the obsolete ideas and ideals from the society for the emotional bonding of their young generation by virtue of their choice?