Manoj and Babli from Karora town in Kaithal locale were severely killed by Babli’s family members in June 2007, on the diktats of a khap panchayat for wedding in the equivalent gotra. In March 2010, a Karnal region court granted capital punishment to five of Babli’s relatives — her sibling Suresh, uncles Rajender and Baru Ram and cousins Satish and Gurdev — for killing the couple.
The head of Banawala khap, Ganga Raj, who is a conspicuous Congress head of the area was granted life sentence for bring forth the scheme. The seventh denounced, Mandeep Singh, the driver of the vehicle utilized in the wrongdoing, was condemned to seven years’ prison for grabbing and trick.
The case was the first bringing about the conviction of khap panchayats and the first capital punishment decision in an honor killing case in India. The Indian media and legitimate specialists hailed it as a “milestone judgment”, a triumph over these scandalous gatherings, which represented a long time without any potential repercussions as equal legal bodies. Additionally, hardly any honor killing cases went to court, and this was the main case wherein the lucky man’s family in an honor killing documented the case. In an assertion to the press, previous Home Minister Chidambaram hammered the khap panchayats, asking laconically, “Who are these khap panchayats? Who gave them the option to kill for the sake of honour?”
Surat Singh, head of the Haryana Institute of Rural Development, Nilokheri, guessed that the decision will end the diktats of khap panchayats. The khaps had never stressed before on the grounds that their “political supervisors abstained individuals from acting against them. With this decision, the individuals who attempt to force an archaic request on society will think twice”. Political investigator Ranbir Singh concurred that the judgment will “go about as a deterrent”. Additional Advocate General Arun Walia hailed the choice: “prior to passing savage decisions, the individuals will unquestionably observe this decision”.
The word ‘woman’ brings many images before us, Mother India, mother, wife, sister, lover. Earlier this harbinger of child was never lauded, her birth was mourned. Things eventually changed with the changing scenario. They took the reigns of the nation in their hands. In spite of all this they still are ‘paraya dhan’. Marriage, the word itself arouses many feelings among the girls. They make many dreams. In spite of 63 years of independence women who are ruling the country, working shoulder to shoulder are still a burden, a liability.
In spite of being liberal the parents cannot accept their daughters marrying someone of their choice or out of their caste or their community. The parents who bring up their daughters so protectively and with several years of love and affection suddenly turn into stone. They dessert their child, breaking all relations however, some cannot bear the insult they hound their child, bring her back either force her to break all ties with her husband or lure them with false promises and kill them brutally. We call ourselves educated, liberal, anti-caste, anti-communism yet when it comes to our kith and kin we change our attitudes and become beast like.
It is almost funny that our sons can easily declare that they have already chosen the one for themselves and how easily their parents accept the fact. However, girls choose the honor of their families over their happiness. Same caste or community does not guarantee happiness and lifetime of love and commitment. The society should rather laud their efforts of breaking the narrow bridges and opening new avenues for the coming generations. It is not a matter of shame if the daughters are capable enough to decide for themselves.
Hear my cry
mummy and papa I too am yours
Don’t hate me for I defied the taboos
But love me for love begets love
And that is what my heart followed.
There is no rich no poor
No upper caste No lower caste
Only humans who have a
Right to live.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Death-sentence-commuted-in-Manoj-Babli-case/article14943294.ece
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