INTER-CASTE MARRIAGE: ADMN MUST COME TO RESCUE OF COUPLES
New Dehli: Every day we come across news of cold-hearted barbaric violence against couples of inter-caste marriage from all over the country, including Odisha, and often reports about killing of young people by family and caste panchayats to uphold caste pride and religious sanctity.
Many young couples end their life in distress without protection and those who continue against all odds are struggling with false cases implicated against them and their supports. They face all types of caste bias, socio-psychological mental torture and organised brutal muscle power against them in spite of constitutional governance and laws because our socio-religious systems are not compatible with constitutional values and human rights laws. Such cases are largely seen as private matter where as the individuals suffering with to uphold a choice of their own are facing all kinds of problem not because of their own fault but due to religious and caste driven mindset based customs and traditions in practice that restrict freedom to marriage and perpetuate indignity in human relationship.
The suffering of the youths in their most productive age has wider implications on our economy and socio-political life. There has been caste and religion based mobilisation and increasing hatred among communities that leads to law and order situation and loss of peace and normal life which has been affecting our social fabric, brotherhood and peace. If these issues are not being addressed properly, it will block our national unity and growth; so there is an urgent need to intervene in these issues in national interest.
The International Bill of Human Rights which include Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, and International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ratified by many democratic countries of the world have recognized right of man and women of marriageable age to marry and to find a family as a basic human right which needs to be protected by the State. It says to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relation on the basis of equality of men and women. The preamble of Indian Constitution propagating the values of democracy, liberty, equality, fraternity and dignity, the fundamental rights and directive principles say right to marry is a component of right to life guaranteed under Article 21 as protection of life and personal liberty. The Special Marriage Act, 1954 and The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 have no restrictions on inter caste and inter religion marriage. It is said the bridegroom must be at least 21 years old and the bride must be at least 18 years old with both having sound mental capacity to enter into marriage contract.
The Supreme Court of India in its judgment on July 7, 2006 in case of Lata Singh verses State of Uttar Pradesh says, “This is a free and democratic country and once a person becomes a major, he or she can marry whomsoever she or he likes. If the parents of the boy and girl who do not approve the inter caste marriage or inter religion marriage, they cannot harass, threaten or commit or instigate acts of violence on people who decide on for marriage. The Supreme Court also says in a judgment in criminal appeal 958/2011 that we must take care not to insult any one’s feeling on account of his caste, religion, tribe, language, etc. Only then can we keep our country united and strong.
India is country of diversity and there has been historical divisions based on four Vernas, thousands of castes and sub castes with hierarchical relationship that practice inequality in all spheres. During anti-feudal and anti-colonial struggle, the makers of modern India aimed to build India a class and casteless society that ensures dignity of all individual. Inter caste marriages are in reality promoting the national interest and enforcing constitutional value.
It is a fact that the marriages in India with customs and traditions are expensive and do not respect the wishes of the individuals getting married. Thousands of farmers in the country are committing suicide due to debt trap and one of the major reasons of debt is for expenses in marriage of their daughter and all other post marriage follow up spending. It is observed that inter caste marriage discourages dowry and lavish spending on wedding which has very less financial implication over family.
Many great Indians including Ram Mohan Roy, Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B.R Ambedkar have advocated for eradication of social evils such as untouchability, caste and gender based discrimination and violence. As a remedy they have suggested inter caste marriage in their writings and also encouraged the practice in many ways. Dr BR Ambedkar in his famous book ‘Annihilation of Caste’ has suggested inter caste marriage for eradication of untouchability and caste system in building a socially cohesive Hindu society required for national unity, integration and nation building.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has introduced Dr Ambedkar scheme for social integration through inter caste marriage to spread constitutional values and for enforcement of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and The SCs and STs (PoA) Act,1989. Under this provision the Central Government has been providing an incentive of `50,000 to all the couples with fifty per cent Central assistance since 2006.Added to this, in 2012 the Ministry decided that under the recommendation of MP,MLA and district Collector each year about 18 couples will have to be given an incentive of `2.50 lakh from the State of Odisha and about 500 from all over the country as support to encourage inter caste marriage and help the couple taking the social risk.
The SC and ST Development Department has been providing incentive for inter caste marriage between caste Hindus and Scheduled Castes belonging to Hindu communities for social integration and removal of untouchability. During the year 2014-2015 an amount of `3, 23, 76,000 to 671 couples of inter caste marriage was released. There are highest number of couple i.e. 122 in Baleswar district followed by Kendrapara, Puri, Dhenkanal and Bhadrak.
In the tradition of social reform, there are social movements by progressive social and political forces, civil society organisations and inspired individuals, writers, artists, reformers and groups those who believe in human liberty, equality, dignity and respect constitutional values. They have been contributing in many ways by producing literature, song, drama, film that encourage inter caste and inter religion marriage. There are initiatives such as Love Commandos, a non-profit organization, in Delhi, with slogan of no more honour killing and Manava Mantapa of Karnataka who have been taking all the efforts to help the couples in distress.
In Odisha, the Anti-caste Marriage and One child Family Organization of India (AMOFOI) founded in 1980 by most popular political science teacher and social reformer couple, B Ramachandra CST Voltaire and Madam Swapna Bijayini has set an example of commitment for the cause with all difficulties. The organization has helped about 7,000 couples in getting marriage recognition and continues to stand by young lovers of change by expanding this effort to different social spheres.
There has been demand by organizations and activists engaged in promoting inter caste and inter religious marriage that the incentive granted to the couple should improve to give them all kinds of strength to cope with the situation. The most important aspect is the protection of the couples from all forms of violence where the police and judiciary should have a proactive role in defending the life of young people. The political parties supporting such change and included inter caste marriage in their manifesto should be voted for power. There must be continued effort by all for eradication of untouchability, gender bias and superior caste complex which has been a major cause of social conflict in rural villages. The marriage age restriction has been manipulated in many times to implicate the boys in false case of kidnap and criminal cases booked by police which need to be looked into to stop its misuse to punish the couple. It is said that the young boys and girls taking such bold step should be publicly honoured and recognized because they are doing a social change in building a democratic society.
Source : The Pioneer
