'khap issue a part of the deep social, religious sentiments and folk culture'
by Calcuttajourno July 10, 2010
Social activists in India want a separate law to deal with 'honour
killing'.Even Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat
has written to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on that matter.The
government of India on Thursday (July 8) seemed divided on the issue
of a new law to tackle caste killings.cabinet colleagues are divided
over the decision for a law against Khap Panchyats.The home ministry
suggests that murder be redefined under the Indian Penal Code to
include "honour killings".But,some cabinet ministers say that the khap
issue was a sensitive one and a part of the deep social, religious
sentiments and folk culture.The Indian Evidence Act is likely be
amended so as to put the onus on the accused or the khap panchayats to
prove their innocence.Last month,the Supreme Court had sought a
response from the Centre and eight states on steps taken to prevent
such incidents.
An honour killing is the murder of a person accused of 'bringing
shame' on his-her family by refusing to enter into a marriage,
committing adultery or being in a relationship disapproved by the
family.
The practice of honour killing is rampant in Haryana, Outskits of
Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab and some parts of
Rajasthan.In Islamic countries honour killing is a major problem.
According to experts,Khap panchayat is a medieval institution where
people were divided into clans.They regularly try to settle disputes
among its members.Khap panchayat are dead against same-gotra (clan)
marriage.So when boys and girls of same caste fell in love or married
each other family members of the girl killed the girl or the boy or
both of them for the sake of the honour of the family. Even the
politicians support the khap panchayat.
On July 5, government employee and his lover were murdered allegedly
by the woman's husband and cousins, her brother and one of her
paramours.The incident was reported from south Delhi's Sarojini Nagar.
The victims have been identified as Uttam Kumar and Anju. In another
incident,Mandeep Nagar (23), Ankit Chaudhury (22) and Nakul Khari
(21), killed Ankit's sister Monica (24) along with her husband Kuldeep
(26) for marrying in a different caste, and Mandeep's 22-year-old
sister Shobha, who too had eloped with a man belonging to a different
case.Later,they were arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police from
Garhmukteshwar, about 90 km from Delhi.According to one estimate,
nearly 1,000 boys and girls fall prey to honour killings every year in
India,particularly in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
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