Honour Killing - The Social and Cultural Aspect of Why it Takes Place

Introduction The Oxford Review defines honour killing as “The deliberate pre-planned murder, usually of a woman, by or at the behest of members of her family motivated by a perception that they have disgraced the family.” The Supreme Court has observed that honour killings may be a work of mob violence where entire communities can be involved in these crimes. The United Nations passed numerous resolutions in 2003 and 2005 urging states to eliminate honour-based violence. This is a recurring phenomenon in India, usually caused by deep-rooted social and cultural beliefs amongst the public regarding family reputation and honour. This article dives into the motives behind these killings, focusing on the cases arising due to casteism and religious differences in India and their implications for our country.

Case Studies Case Study 1- Religious Differences - Nagaraju & Sultana Case This case takes place in Hyderabad in 2022: Nagaraju, a Hindu, decided to elope with Ashrin Sultana, a Muslim. Their relationship faced severe disapproval from their respective communities due to religious and cultural differences between them both. Ashrin’s father, Moobin, and her brother, Asood found out about their marriage and attacked Nagaraju with an iron rod and a knife. Ashrin, who tried to intervene, was threatened by her family. She faced immense criticism and contempt for her choice to marry someone from another religion. Case Study 2 - Caste Differences - Aayushi Chaudhary Case This case takes place in Uttar Pradesh in 2022. It follows Aayushi Chaudhary (from the Yadav caste) who was in a relationship with Chhatrapal Singh Gurjar (from the Gurjar caste). Her family was against the marriage, so she decided to fake a pregnancy, hoping that her parents would permit the union if they thought she was pregnant. One day, Aayushi got into a heated argument with her father; Nitesh Kumar Yadav. Aayushi's claims of pregnancy incited her father into a feverish rage who shot her twice in the chest. Both her parents then proceeded to cover up the crime and dispose of the evidence. Wider Implications of these Honour Killings Gender Inequality Research shows that honour killings primarily affect the female victims who engage in ‘scandalous’ relationships that are deemed dishonourable either due to their inter-caste or inter-religious nature. Some scholars blame dominant patriarchal ideals for validating the belief that women must be inherently controlled as they are responsible for intentionally ‘leading’ men to violate societal traditions. This is prevalent in both of the above cases. We see that Ashrin’s father and brother are involved in the death of Nagaraju, and Aayushi’s father is responsible for hers. Failure of Legal Institutions The legislation that prevents honour killings lacks enforcement as the authorities are terrified of the wrath that they will incur for meddling in what many consider to be righteous and an integral part of their cultural identity. 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 Act, 1989. The families who have participated in honour killings are frequently spared sufficient punishment because of societal complicities or legal technicalities. In highly conservative regions, the majority of cases go unreported because the offenders are paraded as heroes for preventing the tainting of their lineage and protecting their honour by murder Cultural Beliefs These offences are sustained by strong beliefs about the constitution of familial integrity. Honour killings are seen in many communities as appropriate responses against transgressions of social norms. No major religious manuscripts texts endorse honour killings but some of their interpretations may contribute to legitimising these acts. In some communities, religious beliefs are intertwined with cultural practices. In these areas, misinterpretations of religious texts can perpetuate cycles of violence, as families may feel justified in their actions based on distorted religious beliefs.

Conclusion These cases exemplify the extreme measures taken by deeply religious families to uphold their ‘family honour’ when faced with inter-religious or inter-caste relationships. They illustrate the extent to which societal pressures lead to extreme violence against all who dare to engage in such liaisons. These incidents that were mentioned are not isolated ones, and such events are fairly common. Disapproval of the family is pervasive in highly conservative areas in the country. It stems from communal norms which discourage such marriages as they might taint their family’s bloodline, damage their reputation, or blemish their honour. Our society believes itself to be pure and without taint while taking great pride in the fact that it has been washed with aeons of socially acceptable bloodshed. Citations Honour killing. Oxford Reference. (n.d.). https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780192807021.001.0001/acref-9780192807021-e-1523 Gender-related killings of women and girls - OHCHR. (n.d.). https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Women/WRGS/OnePagers/Gender_motivated_killings.pdf Global Human Rights Hub Fellows Blog. Honor Killings in India | New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. (n.d.). https://newcollege.asu.edu/global-human-rights-hub/fellows-program/ghr-fellows-blog/namrata Al Jazeera. (2016, December 7). India sees a huge spike in “honour” killings. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/12/7/india-sees-huge-spike-in-honour-killings Libguides: Online Journals & Magazines: ProQuest Journals. ProQuest Journals - Online Journals & Magazines - LibGuides at COM Library. (n.d.). https://libguides.com.edu/c.php?g=649174&p=4554052 Ramu, M. (2022, May 21). Telangana honour killing: Faith, caste, patriarchy, and murder. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/telangana-honour-killing-faith-caste-patriarchy-and-murder/article65439932.ece Blow to casteism. Frontline. (2018, April 24). https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/blow-to-casteism/article9998678.ece Jaiswal , A., & TNN. (2022). Lies about pregnancy cost Delhi student Aayushi Chaudhary her life: Delhi news - times of India. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/lies-about-pregnancy-cost-delhi-student-aayushi-chaudhary-her-life/articleshow/95696747.cms Kumar, R. (2022, November 24). Aayushi Chaudhary: India woman who became victim of “suitcase murder.” BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63739951