What does that mother goes through when she comes to know that her son/daughter, whom she gave birth after so much of care and struggle, was brutally killed by the family or some community members? How much it is difficult for a family to bear that scorching pain of losing a member of the family who committed no crime but obeyed his/her heart and loved someone. How much insane does it sound to us, that some young ones were killed just and just because they loved each other? Honour killing is a ruthless and baseless act and almost a tradition that is spreading all over the nation like a fire. And the reason for this heinous act is no less than a shame that nurtures the belief of sustaining the false pride of one’s Caste and Religion.
The roots of honour killing have been rooted among rural areas of the nation where the maintenance of the Caste system is as necessary as taking the three times meal. Honour killing means a heinous act of killing a boy and a girl by family or clan members to rescue the pride of the family, caste and community. Though honour killing has other specific reasons as well, Such as when a girl or a boy gets married with the person of same Gotra (a Gotra basically refers to descendants of common, often mythical, ancestor, and all such descendants are regarded as siblings.) so, according to this one cannot get marry with a sibling. If they do so they would soon become a prey of honour killing. Then there is religious rigidity in which, one can never get married with a person of other religion (e.g. a Hindu marrying or loving a Muslim boy). The story doesn’t end here. Honour killing is not only followed in the case of intra Gotra or inter religious marriage but also when a girl or a boy even dares to love each other, to have extra-marital affair and have pre marriage sex together . In all the cases the girl and the boy are seen as the criminals who directly violated the pride of the community and caste and hurt the family values.
Major numbers of honour killing cases are heard from many rural areas of Haryana. But one should not be mistaken that it is only prevailing in the rural areas rather it is now being spread nationwide. About five to six new cases of honour killing are recorded from Delhi and TamilNadu recently. The root cause of this ruthless act lies only in the deeply rooted orthodox belief system that supports the Caste System till present. It is so inhumane and insensible to know that there are still numerous of people who deadly believe in maintaining the stratification and difference between two people, community and clan. There are many who still believe in hosting the flag of differentiation, un-touchability, and casticism in the present Indian society.
Casticism has taken over modern form in the present scenario. Orthodox and illiterate people are now left with fewer options with them, to make their Caste system visible in the present time. Where the nation of today is talking of equality, freedom and Individualism there are people who are trying hard to make their traditions of maintaining big differences among other castes and them. And when they see that young generation are opposing their orthodox mentality and they are not ready to accept their long established false beliefs then, they fill with extreme anger and hatred and in such a situation they do not feel any shame to commit the heart thrilling act of killing. Honour killing is a shame for the modern Indian society where at one end we are heading towards literacy, equality and harmony and at other end people are brutally killing the young generation just for the sake of their false pride. This is ridiculous.
- DRASTIC CHANGE IN THINKING AND ACTIONS: there is a desperate need to bring a drastic change in the thinking and implementation of the same. Old people who often drag their orthodox mentality for life long, they should now think wisely. They have lived their life on their terms and now youngsters have their own life. They should be given liberty and freedom to choose, love and marry the one whom they like. Parents and elders in the family should be very much considerate towards their young ones. They should value the choice of their children. If youngsters are married forcibly with someone else whom they do not love then also, their life would be a mess. so why not to accept their choice and let them experience their life on their own terms.
- MAN MADE THE CASTE SYSTEM, NOT THE VICE VERSA: caste system is only useful till it acknowledges a person about; how the old Indian society was stratified and arranged. And it is quite instrumental for a sociologist who wants to research on the systematic framework of old Indian society. But when did the caste system turn into an ‘Identity Tag’ for the people of the society nobody really knows! Caste is not an identity of the person. It is just and just a system, that’s it! But the moment it becomes a symbol of one’s identity then undoubtedly any negative sign would be smashed quickly by the people. This is the only reason of honour killing. People have this misconception that caste/religion is their identity and anything that spoils the good image of this identity must be aborted from the society. But here only people need to understand that it is not caste or religion which compose the identity of a person, it is the actions, thinking and representation of the person that make his/her identity.
- RELIGION TEACHES TO LOVE NOT TO KILL: religion is a set of belief, traditions and custom those provide a framework for a society according to which the people of the society ought to think and act. Pick up any religious scripture or book may it be Gita, Bible, Quran, Granth-Sahib and so on and look for that single page or paragraph where it is taught to ‘KILL’ or to ‘TAKE LIFE’ in a brutal way!! For sure there is no such page and paragraph. True religion is the religion of Love, care, compassion, welfare and humanity. And those who beat the drums of honour, false pride in the name of religion must pick up one of those scripture, read it once and then come forward with their point that honour killing is valid in religion.
- EDUCATION, AWARENESS AND SUPPORT: education is something which can truly help in bringing a change in people’s mentality. There should be more and more arrangements for educational campaigns and awareness programmes in rural areas. Colleges and NGO’s can organise dramas, small skits and plays by the students and volunteers who can make the people aware of this inhumane act of killing through the medium of their plays. Support must be provided to such young couple who want to live together but feel helpless due to the fear of their family. There should be some NGO’s who give shelter and legal protection to such couple and assure them their security.
- GOVERNMENT CONCERN IS ALSO MUST: government must pass some legal act for such criminals who are killing people for actually baseless beliefs.
One must remember that the rituals, systems and traditions are man-made! They did not create the man, rather man created those system and traditions to make his life systematic in society. And a system is jinxed until it is modified and moulded for the betterment of the society. Clinging to only thing/system makes the life monotonous whereas a system should be dynamic, which is flexible for the welfare of the people.
There is No honour in killing the children,
Honour is in accepting them and their reason of happiness.
