essay on honour killing in india

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Honor Killing UPSC: A Sociological Perspective | Sociology Optional for UPSC Civil Services Examination | Triumph IAS

Table of Contents

Honor Killing A Sociological Perspective

(relevant for unit 13: challenges of social transformation (violence against women) | sociology optional for upsc), introduction.

• Honour killing is a form of violence against women committed with the motive of protecting or regaining the honour of the perpetrator, family, or community . Victims of Honour violence are targeted because their actual or perceived behaviour is deemed to be shameful or to violate cultural or religious norms.
• Patriarchy and honour killings are closely linked, as honour killings are primarily found in highly patriarchal cultures . In this context Sylvia Walby  has identified violence against women as a structure of patriarchy . She argues that male violence against women is so prevalent and recurring in society that it can be considered a social structure. In her view, this violence is not just isolated incidents but forms a pattern within society.

Patriarchy as basis for honour killing

• In these societies, women are seen as servants to their families, both physically and symbolically . Any violation of a man’s property, honour including a women choice of partner can result in severe punishment, such as honour-related violence.
• Veena Das contends that the cultural subjugation of women plays a significant role in perpetuating violence against them . She believes that the cultural norms and practices in society contribute to the violence against women.
• The commodification of women in the marriage market in patriarchal, patrilined caste society goes hand in hand with prescriptions for women’s behaviour and restrictions on their mobility. The entire complex constituting the construction of gender in caste society is a construction that radically devalues the status of women in these societies.
• Honour killing is more likely to occur in societies where there is a high degree of inequality between men and women. This inequality is often reflected in laws and customs that discriminate against women.
• Honour killing is also associated with certain cultural beliefs and practices , such as the belief that women’s sexuality must be controlled and that woman are responsible for maintaining the purity of their family’s honour. Honour killings falsely uphold the dignity and honour of a man’s name and family reputation, as women’s behaviour is seen as symbolizing the boundaries of what is acceptable in society.
• Leela Dube   introduced the c oncept of women as gatekeepers of caste, suggesting that they play a role in maintaining the boundaries and purity of the caste system. She links this notion to instances of violence against women, positing that perceived transgressions of caste norms can result in severe consequences for women. For this reason the couples who have crossed the lines of caste and related norms become victim of honor killing.
• Kalpana Kannaviran believes that the single most important arena for the gendering of caste occurs in the arena of sexuality. The desire to regulate female sexuality has led to a considerable ritual preoccupation with female purit y in the caste societies of Sri Lanka and India. Predictably, male sexuality is not ritualised in the same way.
• Honour killings are part of a spectrum of male violence against women . While honour killings are often associated with non-Western cultures, they are part of the universal spectrum of male violence against women practiced by all patriarchal societies, both Western and non-Western.
• The traditional authorities like Khap Panchayats which has authority to take decisions related to honour killings are also male dominated without any representation of women.
• Apart from religious motivation, honour killings are also propelled by societal norms, which are often influenced by male figures of authorit Also the legal relation action are not able to solve the issue of honour killing. Uma Chakarvorty  contends that despite the existence of liberal legislation, the actual conditions for women often do not improve substantially. She argues that cultural norms and patriarchal values continue to dominate everyday life, undermining the effectiveness of legal protections for women.

In this complex web of patriarchal systems and honor killings, we see the urgent need for transformative change . It’s a call to challenge deeply ingrained beliefs, redefine cultural norms, and work collectively to eradicate the shadow of honor killings and the patriarchy that sustains them. It’s a reminder that progress requires not just legal reform but also a profound shift in societal consciousness, where the honor of individuals is valued above any narrow concept of family or community honor.

Reference The  Hindu

Related blogs…, frequently asked questions:.

Question: What is the relationship between honour killings and patriarchy?

Answer: Honour killings are closely linked to patriarchy, as they occur primarily in highly patriarchal cultures where women are seen as property and any violation of family honour, including a woman’s choice of partner, can result in violence.

2. Question: How does Veena Das explain the role of cultural norms and practices in perpetuating violence against women?

Answer: Veena Das argues that cultural norms and practices in society contribute to violence against women, as they devalue the status of women and restrict their autonomy.

3. Question: What role does caste play in honour killings, according to Leela Dube’s concept of women as gatekeepers of caste?

Answer: Leela Dube suggests that women in caste-based societies play a role in maintaining caste boundaries and purity, and perceived violations of caste norms can lead to honour killings.

4. Question: How does Kalpana Kannaviran highlight the gendering of caste and the regulation of female sexuality in caste societies?

Answer: Kalpana Kannaviran emphasizes that the gendering of caste is evident in the ritual preoccupation with female purity and the regulation of female sexuality, while male sexuality is not similarly ritualized.

5. Question: Are honour killings specific to non-Western cultures, or do they exist universally?

Answer: Honour killings are part of the universal spectrum of male violence against women practiced by both Western and non-Western patriarchal societies.

6. Question: Why do legal protections often fail to effectively address honour killings, as per Uma Chakarvorty’s argument?

Answer: Uma Chakarvorty contends that cultural norms and patriarchal values continue to dominate everyday life, undermining the effectiveness of legal protections for women.

7. Question: What is the key message conveyed in the conclusion regarding honour killings and patriarchy?

Answer: The conclusion emphasizes the need for transformative change, challenging deeply ingrained beliefs, redefining cultural norms, and eradicating honour killings and the patriarchy that sustains them. It calls for valuing individual honour over narrow concepts of family or community honour.

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Essay on Honour Killing in India for Students & Children

September 20, 2019 by Sandeep

500+ Words on Essay on Honour Killing in India

India is a land of diversity- both cultural and geographical. In this realm of diversity can be seen an uncomfortable man-made difference as well.

The difference is visible as a shoddy, half-broken makeshift house at one end of an urban setup to a well-made two or three-storeyed bungalow with a garden and a posh sedan sitting comfortably in the front porch.

The architectural diversity just scratches the surface of what is possibly the most dangerous bog one can dip their feet into. Enthralled by the grandeur of urban life, gullible individuals are pulled into the vortex of the most diabolical evil generated by our society- caste and class diversity.

Understanding the Class and Caste Diversity Paradigms in India

Castes are generally associated with the Hindu religion. They are the sub-divisions of the greater religious path and were originally formed to distribute certain professions among the communities that were familiar with each of them.

This, however, soon snowballed into a daily parade that was supposed to flaunt the wealth and power of the upper class and subjugate the lower class. Thus, caste and class went synonymously.

The lower castes suffered extensively and were always taught to suppress their desires and expect less from their life. Equality was a distant dream for them.

India has transformed and modernised in its outlook. But not much has changed in terms of the attitude of its older generations and certain communities still devoid of education.

But they are not the only ones indulging in caste-based atrocities, the well-educated, urban-dwelling elites also harbour such myopic ideas and strut with pride upon their easy access to privileges and opportunities by virtue of their birth in a certain family, in which they had absolutely no hand, whatsoever.

Thus, caste still remains a big thing in India and despite the exhortations of various reformers to urge people to mingle with one another and exchange ideas; castes still remain isolated from one another and carry-out the age-old practices of maintaining a distance from the lower castes.

Equality at the behest of the Constitution

Among the members of the Constituent Assembly was the venerated “Dalit” leader Dr B. R. Ambedkar who also moonlighted as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee. Having learnt from his painful experiences, he added Article 15 with special emphasis in the Constitution. This Article prohibits Untouchability- a menace rampant in India; along with espousing equality and equal opportunities to all.

This was a needed remedy at that time because of the regressive mindset of the people. This Article, which is the topic of many discussions and creative endeavours of the day, has become the cornerstone of the country’s constitution and ideals. But it has still not seeped into the regular life of Indians.

We fail to understand the consequences of inequality on the lives of those shunned by us. We act like self-entitled brats even though what we have is not the result of any kind of efforts put in by us. Why do we penalise someone for being born a certain way or in a certain family? Education has failed to answer this question.

Caste and Honour Killing

Britannica defines Honour killing as “ the murder of a woman or girl by male family members. The killers justify their actions by claiming that the victim has brought dishonour upon the family name or prestige .” But this has slowly increased to the killing of both the man and woman.

Picture this : A woman from a conservative family and multiple brothers along with a tyrannical father steps outside her home one day and finds her wings when she decides to study something that her heart wants.

This is already coming out to be a far-fetched scenario; add to that a normal college where she meets a boy who understands her wishes and dreams and hopes to give her a life that will be conducive to the fulfilment of those.

She finds herself drawn to this boy and wishes to spend her life with him. But the fear looming in their hearts is that of her Father- the man who is venerated in her village. His entry in a room can silence the hustle and his temper can mean the end of employment for someone at his mercy.

A feudal in the real sense of the term, this man spares no one-man, woman and child- from justice which has not evolved from the Indian Constitution but finds its roots in the vestiges of the ancient law pronounced by the patriarchal forefathers of the village. The boy, on the other hand, has a lineage of tillers, who have always depended on the benevolence of feudal lords. They cannot even dare to question the laws of the land, leave alone break them.

They fear to even imagine the consequences of such anarchy. But the boy has committed this blunder. He has sowed the seed of his dream and the girl is his goal in life. She, however, decides to leave his love, support and company to return in the folds of her father’s regal autocracy only to find herself imprisoned in that house where she is viewed as nothing but a liability and means for a transaction with other feudal families.

She breaks free and runs back to the boy and finds him willing to go the distance even now. She tries at first to convince her family that this is the man who will keep her happy; that in fact, her choice, her happiness and her life matters on this earth. But the family is enraged.

The father sees red and threatens the boy to live his girl alone and they are no match. He cannot afford to adulterate his bloodline and gives the girl a final warning to mend her ways and understand his dignity in the village.

The girl cries and wails but to no avail. She sits through the night crying and contemplating, all alone with not a soul to comfort her. She sees that this is what her life is going to be if she stays. She is a human and deserves happiness and if her family is not willing to give it to her, she can as easily snatch it from the meagre opportunities that life has thrown her way.

She decides to elope with the man who gives some thought to what she wants instead of going through life like a mechanical slave with a man who will probably treat her like a non-entity. She grabs at that small window of hope and freedom and makes a dash for the city with her partner.

Both of them decide to take cover in an obscure part of the city and vow to work hard and create a life that is in stark contrast to the narrow concerns of the village. They are happy in each other’s company and are devoted and respectful of each other, just like a couple should be. Yet, all is not well.

Danger lurks in the form of goons sent by her father, who finally sniff out the couple from the confines of their meagre dwelling and in a fit of humiliation-induced rage, the father slits the throat of his own daughter. The son-in-law gets no better treatment and finds himself battered and bruised from the volley of kicks and punches of the goons.

As if watching his love being murdered by her father was not enough, he suffers the beatings to watch the father loom over him and attack him with a machete, as well.

This marks the end of what could have been a progressive and happy life where both the partners have a say and create a life that fosters both their dreams. This could have been the young, modern, upcoming India. This could have been the India of our dreams. It was stifled and slashed in the very beginning.

This is honour killing- killing the wishes, hopes, dreams and desires of young India for the purity of caste and dignity, which ironically gets tarnished when they are labelled murderers by the Court of Law.

From Haryana to Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad, 2018 was the year that witnessed a spate of honour killings from February to September. 2016 witnessed 77 killings and 2015 broke all records with a high of 251 killings.

India has no separate law to curb this barbarism, in part because going by the heritage of this country, no one could have imagined that parents can ever think of murdering their own offspring much less witness it.

The India that is allegorically portrayed as a mother shall weep tears of blood on seeing the condition of apathy within humans in the country. Even animals protect their babies and humans give birth to their own seed and take away their life for a simple thing as falling in love when love is one of the basic needs of any human being.

Another worrying truth is that women in the country have always been put on a pedestal. This seems like a happy occurrence, except it acts like a chain that constricts the movement of their self in entirety. They cannot think or decide anything for themselves.

We forget that they are human at the end of the day and are responsible for their own choices and have the freedom to make mistakes as well. This comes as an age-old stratagem for manipulating their behaviour which has to end now. Women have to be respected, but only as humans.

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HONOUR KILLINGS IN INDIA: A SOCIAL STIGMA

2018, isara solutions

India has attained a great advancement in every sphere of activity. Society has changed gradually with emerging socio-economic developments by adopting the pragmatic approach. Equal rights to the women vis-à-vis men are being ensured at every level in our progressive society. But, still very often we hear that young boys and girls are being killed in the wake of saving the honour of the family or society. Such incidents are reportedly increasing particularly in the northern region of the country. Honour killings are a blot on the society and it shows the feudalistic mindset of the perpetrators responsible for such killings. Every year, nearly 1000 young couples are being subjected to such killing in the name of honour. Mostly females are the victims of these killings, owing to the patriarchal structure of our society. These killings are against the constitutional provisions, which emphatically talks about equality, liberty and fraternity. The objective of the present paper is, therefore, to study and analyze the honour killings in India, which is tarnishing the image of Indian society. An attempt has been made to trace the history and examine the possible causes of these killings. The present study is doctrinal in nature and is based on secondary data gathered from various sources such as books, journals, reports etc.

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AKHILESH K U M A R PANDEY

Seied Beniamin Hosseini

The article aims at highlighting the legal provisions to tackle crime of honor killing. The introductory part gives a side glance of what is honor killing and which acts are considered dishonorable by the community or family. Certain behavior of individuals and acts may become reasons for him or her to be killed by his or her own family, especially by male family members or the community. The next part describes various legal provisions in the Indian Constitution, which can be used to put a stop to these honor killings in the country. These laws can be used as a tool to put behind bars the Khap Panchayat members who give orders of killing individuals for honor's sake. The next part defines the international provisions related to the honor crimes to which India is a signatory member. The paper questions as to why despite all these provisions killings are rampant in the present times. " Violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men to the prevention of the full advancement of women…. " (The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women) 4

Sage Publications

Kaushambi Kaushal

India is always proud of its democracy, secularism between and after so many years of Independence. However, ethos of marriage remains the same. Marriages tend to be a holy sacrament solemnized by families. In some of the cases, young innocent women are subjected to horrific and horrendous waves of massacring for choosing the life partner according to their wish and choice. Moreover, this choice makes the women vulnerable to the alleged supreme caste, religious group and old guards of the society. A killing in the name of honour inculcates torture and rejection of equalitarianism, which is a corner stone of the Indian Constitution. Furthermore, it manifests how the value of feudalism and patriarchy is rooted in our social system in some corner. The qualitative-and quantitative-based comparative analyses of the study would depict various perspectives of violence, its vulnerability and peril nature towards some of Indian Women. In this backdrop, it is difficult to state the precise number of Honour Killings because many cases go unreported. In some of the cases, the perpetrators go unpunished and the concept of the honour becomes justified in the eyes of societies. It is estimated by the United Nations Population Funds that 5,000 women and girls are killed by their own family members. According to the recent report of National Crime Record Bureau, 356 cases of Honour Killing were reported along with 65 cases of culpable homicide in India. There are laws in Indian Penal Code for the Honour Killings; but it is just an antidote to such dishonourable practices. Law should be amended and made stringent towards it. It is manifested that a wide range of moderation is needed in order to effectively Interrogating Culture ANTyAjAA: Indian journal of Women and Social Change 1-18

Hashir Ahammed Asmaveedu

This is a Research Paper based on an exploratory study done by the Research Scholar which explores different psychological aspects of ‘Honour Killing’ based on the reports, research studies and anecdotes published and observations made with an intensive approach on the concept. It is a study designed to identify and research different psychological dimensions like ‘Culture’, ‘Attitude’, ‘honour’ ‘Belief’ ‘Morality’ etc and its bearing on ‘Honour Killing’ based on the conflict between the individual and the family due to various reasons like choice of sexual/marital partner, Education and employment, Dress, Behaviour and contact with the opposite sex, Sexuality, General conformity to the family and community’s culture and expectations. This exploratory study was carried out as a qualitative research under Indian scenario based on secondary data available on the area which also included basic references on international incidents on the same. The research enquiry focused on several research questions: What is ‘Honour Killing’ and its various types?; How the psychological aspects of ‘culture’, ‘honour’, ‘morality’, ‘attitude’ and ‘belief’ are connected with ‘honour killing’?; Why the above said psychological concepts in human beings are more stronger than the other psychological concepts in them like ‘feelings’, ‘emotions’, ‘sentiments’, ‘humanity’ and other social traits when they commit homicides in the name of ‘honour’?. Why people are inclined to obey and follow biased and communal based ‘Khap’ Panchayats instead of the existing legal and Constitutional provisions and systems in the Country while treating issues or incidents? The study points out how the multifarious psychological aspects influencing ‘honour killing’ and to what extent it creates panic and havoc in the society which deter the stability of social life thereby ends life of many citizens in a nation as well as affects the development of a nation.

International Journal of Management Research and Social Science

Honour killing (inTamil,Gowravakkolaigal) have been considered as a cultural phenomenon practiced by most of the countries. This crime rate in India is more than thousands per year. There are various reasons why family members decide to kill their daughter and son in the name of maintaining their family honour. The most obvious reason for this practice is the caste system. Historically there were many issues in India and Tamil Nadu about the inter-caste marriage. The fact that the caste hierarchy continues to be at its stiff and the people from the rural areas refuse to change their bad notion. Hence, Prevention of honour killings will definitely decrease the number of victims and objective of this case study is focused about inter-caste marriage between Dalit and other communities, and also attempt to eradicate the caste notion from people mind and to take legal action to protect the couple and lovers who ever getting inter-caste marriage.

Dr. Mahfuz Alam

isara solutions

International Res Jour Managt Socio Human

The present empirical study describes Honour killings in southern and northern regions of Tamilnadu and it sequences. Role of inter caste / inter religion marriage can be seen in this study. To understand the real grounds of the public we took survey and got answers from the different people belongs to different religion. Purposive and interview method was used for collecting the data. Actually, these activities gave the lower ground answers as well as the great and difficult experience to us. This study explains the phenomenological facts of the society.

Humans being are indeed a worthy aspiration, but for the interrogation the context and structures, which hold its ideal is to be released are needed. An equal and hierarchical societal structure and process can never expect to produce and equal system and values .Once a person wants to clarify the realization the ultimate and obvious object comes before him/her to consider, which is reality of an overcharging 'subjectivity' that governs the material condition and the deadliness of living of the living social human being'. The human being its supposedly neutral character rather it is endowed with multilayered identities , being based on sex ,occupation , ethnicity ,religion , language, nationality, where the first possible 'add on' can be adorned consciously with a cognitive mapping emerging in once objective environment through question the entire notion of equality. Women not being a homogenous category, holding a different identity comparably to men through this context and structured. This identity boxes or being caged the women at a general level to an identity subsumed by the patriarchal structure determines the equableness and humanness of women. The modern world is divided into different continent, religion, cities and dominions and thus there exists a plethora of different culture and religion ,where the culture is the portrayal of a set of distinctive feature of society, which encompasses in lieu of art and literature , lifestyle ,ways of living together, values system traditions and beliefs [Hardy .M(2016) UNESCO universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity] and on the other hand the religion signifies "human beings" relation to that, which they regard as holy, sacred ,spiritual or divine. Diverse gender construction are inherent in such culture and religion, yet there is a pattern of gender hierarchy that negatively intersects with women rights, culminating the oppression and violence against women, which get evidenced in the case of honor killing. Honor killing is a form of domestic violence, which can be orated as a homicide of a member of a family by other members of the family. As the perpetrator believed that , the victim deserve it, since the victim brought shame and dishonor to her family , through violating the principal of religion or by refusing to many or being in a religion or in a relationship that has disapproved by their family or by having sexual relationship without marriage or by becoming a victim of rape ,dressing in ways, which may defile the reputation of her family's honor and which against the norms of the society or by engaging in homosexual relations.(Elakkary.S, Franky. B, Shokri .D.Hartwing. S.Trokos.M,Puschel.K 2014,10-76-82). More precisely honor killing can be delineate as a practice ,which put certain women at personal risk from patriarchal ,cultural and religious belief system of honor and shame (Meetoo.V and H.S Mirza 2007.p188). Honor killing are an extreme form of gender domestic violence, where its prime motive is the punishment or coercion of women, since it does not concern about the gender factor. Such type of killing reflects the social and cultural contexts in which they occur especially in less developed society, which hold a strong tribal tradition and patriarchal culture , where the south Asian region is the proper illustration or model for the perfect portrayal of such honor killing .

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A socio-legal reading of honour-based killings in India

So-called honour killings are still a reality in India. A stricter law is needed to curb such killings, so that the right to choose one’s own partner, guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India, can be exercised without fear.

THIS is a story from Madhya Pradesh.

In 2012, Rajkumar and Deepa fell in love with each other and decided to get married. Rajkumar was a Dalit while Deepa was a Thakur.

As the couple feared that their marriage may create conflict between their families and communities, they fled their home town and settled in Ludhiana.

Indian society has a Brahmanical moral and social code that features a caste-based stratification which assigns inequal status to people on the basis of their caste and gender identity at birth.

Rajkumar took up the job of a mason, the couple birthed two children and were living happily.

However, the girl’s family was not okay with this relationship. Even after several years had passed, they could not accept their love.

In a fake act to reestablish family bonds, men from Deepa’s side started visiting the couple.

One fateful day, when Rajkumar was dropping off some visitors from Deepa’s family, they stabbed him brutally and slit his throat on the way to the railway station.

Then they left him to die by the roadside.

Kaushalya and Shankar, both from Tamil Nadu, had a similar experience.

Kaushalya recalls a ‘special day’, when Shankar told her: “ I like you a lot .”

I said, “ We can be friends but do not expect a love relationship from me .”

He quietly said sorry and moved on. “ I liked that about him ,” Kaushalya added.

After this day their love story took off with friendly conversation where they got to know more about each other. Very soon her mother came to know about their friendship. 

Kaushalya says, “ Can you guess my mother’s first question? ‘What is Shankar’s caste ?’”

Kaushalya comes from an economically backward but sociopolitically dominant caste and Shankar was a Dalit man.

Despite opposition from Kaushalya’s family the couple married in 2015. A year later, the girl’s family attacked them in broad daylight .

Love, restrained

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights , as adopted in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly recognises that all human beings are born free and are equal in dignity and rights.

However, Indian society has a Brahmanical moral and social code that features a caste-based stratification which assigns inequal status to people on the basis of their caste and gender identity at birth.

Markers of identity are fixed, and if they are transcended, it upsets the social guidelines based on caste system within the Hindu society that has religious sanction as well.

This system helps to maintain caste relations in economic, social and moral terms.

Also read: SC issues notice on a petition challenging a Rajasthan HC Order refusing monitored inquiry into a possible case of ‘honour’ killing

As Gopal Guru, a public intellectual and scholar argues, “ Everybody is so much arranged on this framework of hierarchy that Brahmanism has actually permeated, and has substantiated across castes, and it is not affecting people to an equal degree. It is affecting people to different degrees .”

It is because of the intertwining of castes–gender norms that sexual and marital relationships have repercussions for social and property relations.

For this reason, women’s sexuality and the identity of the father of her biological child becomes a matter of honour for the family as well as the entire caste community.

A publication by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, titled Gender Justice: Key to Achieving the Millennium Development Goals , states that gender justice addresses ending inequalities between women and men that are produced and reproduced in the family, community, market and State.

India has made some progress in promoting gender equality, but there is still work to be done.

To conceptualise gender justice in a broader and nuanced context for the Indian social milieu, one has to look at it from within the framework of freedom to love or marry, scope of such freedom for the marginalised caste individuals, legal framework for crimes committed against such individuals for making such decisions.

A report titled Crimes in the Name of Honour: A National Shame examines the overarching principles of gender justice.

The report is the outcome of a collaboration between Dalit Human Rights Defenders Network (DHRDNet) and National Council for Women Leaders (NCWL).

The report highlights cases related to honour-based crimes and interventions done by DRHRNet to provide families of victims of honour-based killings with justice and assist in maintaining a comprehensive legal framework.

Women’s sexuality and the identity of the father of her biological child becomes a matter of honour for the family as well as the entire caste community.

The report also proposes a list of recommendations for prevention, protection, rehabilitation and redressal through legal and policy measures.

In the report by DHRDNet, qualitative and quantitative data was collected from eight states— Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

Accordingly, the report has come to a conclusion that crimes in the name of honour are committed specifically by parents and relatives belonging to the dominant caste.

The data covers 24 cases within a time range of 2012–21.

Targeted in the name of revenge and ‘honour’

In Kodungallur Film Society versus Union of India ( 2018), the Supreme Court observed that honour killings are a work of mob violence where entire communities can be involved in honour-based crime.

To understand this, one has to understand the notion of honour and its relationship to caste-based communities of India.

Talking in respect of caste-based order, some castes believe that they hold greater ‘honour’ than the other(s). 

Also read: Bail granted to “honour” killing accused cancelled by SC

Gopal Guru notes, honour is not the same as self respect. In cases of violence done by a dominant caste on a marginalised caste, the dominant caste seeks moral compensation in humiliation of the other group. They restore their ‘honour’ by attacking the self respect of the former.

In the mind of ‘guardians’ of the dominant caste, honour of the family and the community are intertwined. The sexuality of dominant caste women is seen to be threatened by the desires and love of marginalised caste men in a heterosexual setup.

Punishment is meted out to marginalised caste men transgressing the boundaries of love and in many cases their families are also subjected to punishments.

The DHRDNet report mentions one such case in Haryana where the whole family of a marginalised caste partner in a relationship was wiped out.

In Madhya Pradesh, in 2017, the father of a Dalit man on his way to the market was attacked by the girl’s family. His attackers left him bleeding on the road.

The alterations that a marginalised caste person’s desire could bring to the Brahmanical order is viewed as a threat by those at the ‘top’ of the hierarchy.

It is due to the asymmetric power relationship between the caste groups that when the couple make a conscious decision to break the caste barriers and exercise their choice and agency, they have to face the consequences.

The DHRDNet report records 17 Scheduled Caste (SC) men, one SC woman, three Other Backward Class or Most Backward Class (MBC) women, one MBC man and one Denotified Tribes woman as victims or survivors.

Twenty male victims had either been killed or received serious injuries at the hands of the partner’s family.

In many cases where a couple had eloped to save themselves from the dominant partner’s family, the women of the marginalised caste partner’s family had to face revengeful violence.

It is important to note that 14 men and 10 women who were the victims or survivors were educated to graduation and above.

“ One couple in Tamil Nadu met while studying physiotherapy and were qualified [physiotherapists] when they married ,” the report states.

Manjula Pradeep, a human rights activist, DHRDNet campaign manager and national convenor of NCWL told The Leaflet , “ A majority of the time the police have a negative bias towards SC individuals .”

A similar example of ‘epistemic injustice’ is narrated by Nikita Sonavane, a Dalit feminist and lawyer in Anurag Minus Verma’s podcast.

Sonavane mentions cases where police function with a negative bias towards SC groups, tagging them as ‘habitual offenders’ and how that affects their lives.

“ This behaviour of the police underlines the prevalent epistemic injustice, testimony of a person from a marginalised group bearing less credibility ,” she added.

For this reason, honour-based crimes must be looked at from the angle of how power plays out in a relationship which involves different groups in the society.

Most often the victims from marginalised communities are from lower income groups.

Manjula Pradeep underlines that ideally it should be the duty of the police to inform the victims about their rights.

The victims do not necessarily have the knowledge and awareness about the law, such as immediate registering of a first information report (FIR) or anticipatory bail provisions.

In such situations, the role of police in ensuring justice to marginalised caste victims becomes very crucial.

Also read: ‘Possible threat of honour killing’, Allahabad HC orders immediate removal of girl from the custody of her parents

“ Since these killings are committed with involvement of the family, many times they go unreported. It is commonly understood as a ‘family matter’. Very few FIRs are registered in cases of honour-based crimes ,” Nazma, sub-inspector in Delhi Police told The Leaflet .

Centre for Law Policy and Research has drafted The Freedom of Marriage and Association and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of ‘Honour’ Bill, 2022: A Draft .

Chapter 5 of this Bill makes it a duty of the State to make arrangements for the protection of the victims, their dependents and witnesses, in order to safeguard them from violence or threats of violence given by the family or community of the other partner.

In reference to the Dalit-queer perspective, anthropology research scholar at Cornell University Akhil Kang writes , “ As the surveillance around the Dalit body and restricting Dalit love and mobility has been so heavily guarded by caste supremacy, it becomes equally crucial to pivot discussions about inter-caste relationships to questions of desire and intimacies .”

Akhil Kang argues that dominant caste narrative and scholarship on inter-caste love results in erasing the ‘Dalit lover’. Kang’s position is important to understand in order to lead the discourse of violence against the Dalit individuals in inter-caste love.

Kang’s position proposes an important intervention in the gender justice struggle in India with his reading of sexuality, desires and safety of the Dalit individuals in an inter-caste love.

Commenting on this position and importance of such research scholarships Manjula Pradeep said, “ Majority of times, the Dalit woman is rejected by their non-Dalit lover, as chances of her getting accepted by the family of her non-Dalit partner is low. 

“ The families of a non-Dalit person who falls in love with a Dalit man or woman are not able to accept that a Dalit person is trying to step out of his or her caste boundaries.

“ In cases where a Dalit man falls in love with a non-Dalit person, his identity comes in the way of honour .”

Pradeep adds, “ We see that demands for same-sex marriage is appealed for in the court, however, in my personal experience I have observed very few or rare cases where a non-Dalit trans or queer person falls in love with the person outside there caste boundaries and stands up against their families for the rights of their partner .

“ She adds that the honour killing of Shankar and his partner Kaushalya in Tamil Nadu came after the woman strongly stood and struggled against her own family, however, cases like these are very rare .”

Need for a separate law on honour-based crimes

The United Nations General Assembly resolutions made in the year 2003 and in 2005 called on member states to take actions to eliminate honour-based violence.

In 2012, the Law Commission released its Report No. 242 titled Prevention of Interference with the freedom of Matrimonial Alliances (in the name of Honour and Tradition): A suggested Legal Framework .

The report suggested a legal framework to curb the social evil of caste councils and panchayats interfering with and endangering the life and liberty of young people marrying partners belonging to the same gotra or a different caste or religion.

The DHRDNet report points out the worrisome attitude of the 2012 Law Commission report towards honour killings.

The Law Commission report blames the changing cultural and economic status of  women and asserts that it is the acts of women going against male-dominated culture that is one of the causes of honour crimes.

Also read: Father of the victim of honour killing pleads for life imprisonment rather than death sentence for the convicts

As pointed out by DHRDNet, this position assumes honour killings as less serious than other murders because they arise from long-standing cultural traditions.

Secondly it takes us back to the argument made by Akhil Kang by neglecting the interplay of caste and gender within a single spatiotemporal frame.

In 2015, while answering questions raised by member of Parliament Mahesh Giri  on honour killings,  Nityanand Rai, minister of state of home affairs, stated that no survey has been conducted on honour killings.

In 2019, the Rajasthan assembly passed the Rajasthan Prohibition of Interference with the Freedom of Matrimonial Alliances in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2019 , which, though limited in its scope, was an attempt by the state government to address crimes based on honour.

The DHRDNet report comments on the status of this Bill— it has not become an Act yet. Crimes of honour still fall under existing provisions of Sections 300 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Scheduled Castes And the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 .

Manjula Pradeep explains that killings done in the name of honour cannot be put under the Prevention of Atrocities Act, “ There are cases of interfaith marriage and same sex marriage and inter-caste marriages and marriages that challenge any kind of social status quo, all the mentioned cases must be put under framework of one legal arch.

“ For example, there exists no law to protect a consenting Hindu person and a Muslim person who decide to marry each other .”

Sub-inspector in Delhi police Nazma told The Leaflet , “ If you look at Delhi, most crimes of honour killings happen in the border areas, like Narula .”

Talking about the investigation process, Nazma  adds, “ Honour-based killings are investigated from a murder investigation angle under IPC 302. It is not viewed from the perspective needed to look at honour-based killings. Therefore, separate law for honour-based crimes is important .”

We see that demands for same-sex marriage is appealed for in the court, however, in my personal experience I have observed very few or rare cases where a non-Dalit trans or queer person falls in love with the person outside there caste boundaries and stands up against their families for the rights of their partner.

Talking about the Prevention of Atrocities Act, Nazma states, “ In order to ensure no misuse, it is compulsory for the victim to produce a valid caste certificate and other than blood relatives two more witnesses are needed to confirm the charges.

“ The proof of burden lies on the victim. For honour-based crimes taking this procedural route is very discouraging and exhaustive for the victim’s family, partner or the well wishers .”

The DHRDNet report states that, “ Since the crimes in the name of honour are committed specifically by parents and relatives belonging to dominant castes, there are specificities that need to be addressed by the law.

“ These crimes cannot be treated as murders or attempt to murder as the impact is on entire communities and families .”

While speaking to The Leaflet ,  sub-inspector Nazma agrees that there is a need for a separate law to address honour-based crimes.

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The German parliament votes for an annual veterans’ day to honor military service

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The German parliament voted Thursday to introduce an annual national “veterans’ day” to honor people who have served in the military, which often has struggled to gain recognition in the country.

The proposal was drawn up by the parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition together with the main opposition conservative bloc, and was approved by nearly all parties in the Bundestag, parliament’s lower house.

It says a “veterans’ day” should be celebrated “publicly and visibly” every June 15. It also calls for improved follow-up care for people wounded while serving in the German military , the Bundeswehr.

The motion “is a strong, important and, yes, an overdue signal of recognition and appreciation,” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told lawmakers.

Post-World War II Germany has generally been uncomfortable with militarism and war, and the country emerged slowly from its postwar military shell after reunification in 1990. Then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl broke a taboo against German troops serving abroad by sending military medics to support the U.N. mission in Cambodia in 1992.

More robust military deployments abroad, for example in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Mali, later became a mainstay of the Bundeswehr’s activities.

In 2008, Germany introduced a new military decoration for bravery, giving troops the possibility of earning such an honor for the first time since World War II. A memorial to soldiers killed while serving in the Bundeswehr was built at the Defense Ministry in Berlin and inaugurated in 2009.

But even now, “the word ‘veteran’ is little used in our society, and this must come to an end,” said Johannes Arlt, a lawmaker with Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats who has served as an air force officer. “We need more visibility and we need more recognition for our soldiers and veterans, and that’s why we need a veterans’ day in Germany.”

The Bundeswehr was founded in 1955, serving first as West Germany’s military and, since 1990, as that of the reunited Germany. More than 10 million people have served in it over the decades.

Germany launched a drive to modernize the Bundeswehr and increase its military spending shortly after Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

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