Editor,
Recently, a Dalit engineering student was hacked to death and his wife met with head injuries in trying to save her husband on a busy Tamil Nadu street because of their inter-caste marriage that stood like a rock for eight months against repeated intimidation and ten lakh bribe offer. It is, highly, unfortunate that the Law Commission’s recommendations to make a comprehensive law on honour killings to deliver equal punishment to the killers, plotters and the instigators at kangaroo courts have been shelved for four long years. The proposals also have provisions for protecting threatened couples against false charges. Honour (!) killing is the most savage practice where cannibal parents butcher their own children at the altar of prejudices that prevent us from mingling with our own countrymen. It is the most menacing challenge as it throttles our national unity and integrity. In this context, we need to revisit Tagore’s lecture titled, “Nationalism in India,” which was delivered nearly one hundred years ago in 1917. Tagore said, “When our nationalists talk about ideals they forget that the basis of nationalism is wanting. The very people who are upholding these ideals are themselves the most conservative in their social practices.
Nationalists say, for example: look at Switzerland where, in spite of race differences, the people have solidified into a nation. Yet, remember that in Switzerland the races can mingle, they can intermarry, because they are of the same blood. In India there is no common birthright. And when we talk of western nationality we forget that the nations there do not have that physical repulsion, one for the other that we have between different castes. Have we an instance in the whole world where a people who are not allowed to mingle their blood, shed their blood for one another except by coercion or for mercenary purposes? And can we ever hope that these moral barriers against our race amalgamation will not stand in the way of our political unity?
Then again we must give full recognition to this fact that our social restrictions are still tyrannical, so much so as to make men cowards. Intermarriage which is undoubtedly the best means to uphold the flag of national unity, integrity and fraternity and can go a long way in removing the walls of prejudices among Indians is still being brutally prevented in our society. India Human Development Survey (IHDS) figures indicate that while 26.9 per cent of marriages are among inter economic groups, only 6.1 per cent inter-caste and 2.7 per cent inter-religious marriages have taken place in our country in 2001-2005. Even this microscopic figure of Inter-caste and inter-religious marriages invite honour killings. According to statistics from the United Nations, one in five cases of honour killings, internationally every year comes from India. These forces of prejudices and hatred are actually killing the honour of the Indian Republic and prevent Indians from being solidified into a nation.
Thus, India badly needs a comprehensive, stand-alone law on honour killings without further delay to save Sankars and Kausalas in particular and our country in general.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Rejoinder
Editor,
Apropos the news item ‘Uncouth Policewoman,” (ST March 22, 2016) the office of the Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills would like to mention that on 12.03.2016 midnight one motorcycle was torched and another car vandalized for which a case was registered at Rynjah Police Station. Following the information from the complainant that one vehicle, No. ML-05- 5554 was seen suspiciously parked outside the house, all owners of vehicles of different series of the registration number, were called to the Police Station. Smti Kosini Hynniewta, notwithstanding being a retired Police officer’s daughter, was no exception. It may be mentioned that the lady police officer who is on duty 24X7 was merely requesting the above named lady to come to the Police station for verifying the matter. Let it be highlighted that all proprieties are being maintained and courtesies observed when dealing with the public and the public are free to submit their grievances to the undersigned for any misdemeanour of his personnel. The Police are incumbent to call people to the Police Station or bring any suspect vehicle for examination to solve a case. We try to cause the least inconvenience to people called for questioning but to say that being called to the Police station for verification is harassment, is to outrightly reject the enforcement of law and the process of investigation.
Yours etc.,
M.Kharkrang, IPS,
Superintendent of Police,
East Khasi Hills, Shillong
Editor replies: The point made in the letter is not about being summoned to the police station but about the tone and tenor of the communication. We believe that all law abiding citizens would gladly cooperate with the police in helping to solve crimes but a certain decorum is expected from them.