- The Indian citizens in particular and society, in general, are rightly termed as aspirational for seeking to align with the global community in riding the technology-driven massive developments. The mind-numbing achievements witnessed over the last couple of decades need no elaboration as the modern world is inundated with many path-breaking innovations. Not to be left behind, the Indian population has latched onto the bandwagon without any inhibitions. Unfortunately, the thinking and thought processes of certain people have continued to remain medieval on matters concerning caste, creed, class, religion, status, dignity, and the ilk.
PC: Rick Delbridge
- Even after receiving education in line with the fast-changing times, sticking to anachronistic beliefs like caste and ill-conceived social honor despite making unbelievable advancements poorly reflects our regression in coming to terms with present-day realities. One of the fast-catching trends visible on the horizon is the so-called honor killings usually perpetrated by the family whenever a member chooses to opt for interfaith marriages or alliances. As you are aware, sporadic cases of honor killings are reported around the country involving innocent and youthful individuals having dreamt of leading a colorful life unencumbered by life’s challenges. Most often than not, such dreams are crushed prematurely.
- One such incident was recently reported with the gruesome murder of a 25-year-old man on a busy Hyderabad street by his wife’s kin even as she pleaded fruitlessly with bystanders to intervene. The visuals only reassert a heart-wrenching reminder of the difficulties Indian women are subjected to in living lives on their own terms. Married for just three months, interfaith couple Ashrin Sultana and B Nagaraju knew each other through school and college and had been in a relationship for a long time against the wishes of her family. Sadly, religion and caste-Nagaraju was a Dalit- came in the way of her family accepting their adult daughter’s choice.
PC: Indianewsrepublic
- Reiterating the fact, that too much of India still remains governed by medieval notions of family dishonor. Modernity ushered in by the Constitution that guarantees all consenting adults the freedom to choose their partners has struggled against entrenched religious and caste endogamy. The idea that the woman is a property of the family when forcefully enforced by community networks, has not found a proportionate response from lethargic institutions of the state, despite their progressive mandate. As observed in such killings, the assailants in many dishonor killings are young men with the benefit of many years of school education behind them.
- Thus, it also proves beyond doubt that whatever progress achieved vis-à-vis imparting quality education has had very little effect in altering the illogical thought processes. Unfortunately, curriculums, textbooks, and teachers are behind the curve in instilling gender equality and questioning gender stereotypes. It becomes incumbent for these stakeholders and game-changers to be far more persuasive in this critical project. Where families are steadfast in their conservatism, public institutions inculcating gender sensitivity need to provide the counterbalance. Yes, let’s make a start for Nagaraju and Sultana now, lest there may be many more innocent lives on the merciless chopping blocks.
