Killing with "honor" !!!

Since past couple of months, we have witnessed disgustingly incessant "honor killings" from Northern states of the country. The entire nation has been watching this blasphemy lividly! Welcome to this bleak reality of India in 2010!

What is most traumatizing in these sacrilegious incidents, is the stand taken by the culprits (who sadly, in most cases happen to be family members of the victims) and their unapologetic ways of brandishing it ! Some member of the family gets married out of the community he/she belongs to or with someone with same gotra (a term applied to a clan, patrilineal lineage - whose members trace their descent to a common ancestor) and people feel compelled to kill their own family members to "save and honor traditional values"!! In each of these "honor killing" cases, the victims were tortured in most barbaric manner!
 
If you recollect some recent incidents, they are from educated urban middleclass and not restricted to rural viscera anymore! And they expose some despicable truths about us as society. These heinous crimes debunk the popular belief that the hegemony of caste, kinship, community or feudal values are prevalent only in uneducated and economically backward class of our society. It is evident that these cold blooded murders are more about exercising power games; social and political, within and outside the respective communities.

These incidents are serious social issues and we need to explore the driving force behind these horrific violent acts. It is a clear reflection of the paradox of contemporary Indian middle class and its contradictory value systems in daily life. To understand its complex make up, one has to also manifest social, cultural, political and economic factors involved and address them effectively from grass root level.

Precious lives are lost because of a few peoples' perceived loss of "honor"! Why don't the same people think about some basic human values? No matter how hard I try, it is impossible for me to understand the psyche behind these crimes. I always believe that lack of education is root cause of all the problems.

Many of us are very blessed to have liberal upbringing and exposure that provides a much bigger world to inhabit.We have never been compelled or confined to any particular framework of thinking. And for us, caste, creed, community aren't significant beyond a point.

No civilized society can condone violence but when I come across incidents like "honor killings" I have a disturbing question in my mind, "are we, as nation, civilized enough, yet?"