Honor Killing in India

India is indeed a complex country deeply woven with the wires of caste, class and Varna system. It has a tight social fabric that is taking it slowly to flex with the changing demands of modernity. It is unsure and rather playful to watch how the saga unfolds. In different regions of the country, it has been reshaping due to the effects of globalization and urbanization in India. More numbers of youths are able to migrate to a different place than their home town in search of degrees and job opportunities. It is impossible to remain rigid within the caste molds while living in Urban India. Those who do not flex are seen with a skeptic eye and should be. For this long-time exposure and mingling with different groups we come to the realization of the vague boundary standing before us. These boundaries are illusionary and archaic. It may be having its significance in the past, not today, not at all. The laws of the country are supporting modern ideas of equality and liberty. Various fundamental freedoms are the live proof of the same. However, what has been written down on the constitution has been slow to permeate down the still rigid societies. There may be a decreased percentage of atrocities on the lower castes because of their increased economic abilities, it has yet not fructified into a maturity. Young couples are still afraid of finding a life-partner or a spouse for themselves who are from a different caste and religion. Love at first sight, is a faraway dream in India. Many have to check the other person’s caste and religion before committing for a relationship.

The age for marrying the male and female person is increasing in India due to the changing economic scenario and the educational opportunities and aspirations. India is still a low per capita income country. There is an increased economic inequality within the country as well suggested by the Gini coefficient. More amount of wealth is been smashed by the top echelon of the country. The struggle is wide and the aspirations are only increasing with the war footing modernization. The tussle remained. Families are not okay to allow their counterpart to venture into inter-caste marriages. The usual line goes, ‘what will society say?’… They make them guilty for bringing shame to their families. Then they try to fold their hand and if there is a resistance, there is usual violence and aggression. The less contemplated aggression takes life of the innocents. This is honor killing. We pray to love symbols as Gods and lost in their Bhajans for their love story, yet the same is not acceptable if one of their son and daughter try to listen to their heart as well… If this is not hypocrisy, what is it?