Protests continue in Dharwad, Haveri, Kalaburagi against honour killing

Protests continued to be staged against the honour killing at Inam Veerapur village in Hubballi taluk of Dharwad district for the second day on Wednesday with members of various organisations coming out to strongly condemn the incident in which a pregnant woman was murdered by her father for marrying outside caste.

The protests were held in Dharwad, Haveri and Kalaburagi.

In Dharwad, under the aegis of Mahila Dourjanya Virodhi Okkuta, members of various organisations and eminent personalities came together to stage the protest against the honour killing and condemn it strongly.

Addressing the protestors, speakers expressed anguish and shock over the brutal assault and murder of the pregnant woman who chose to marry outside her caste.

Even after so much advancement and talk of women empowerment, women are not being allowed to take independent decision on marriage which is highly condemnable, they said.

Submitting a memorandum on behalf of the okkuta, they said that stringent punitive action should be taken against the father of the pregnant woman and those who instigated it and connived with him in carrying out the brutal assault on the couple and her in-laws who are now recuperating in a hospital.

They also said that awareness programmes on secularism and gender equality should be organised in schools and colleges to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

In Haveri

Members of DYFI, Students Federation of India (SFI), Dalit Rights Committee (DHS), Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS), Nomadic Community Organisation and organisations of farmers, writers and artistes staged a protest in front of the Tahsildar’s office in Haveri to condemn the honour killing.

Addressing the protestors, State secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Basavaraj Pujari urged the State government to ensure strict punishment for those responsible, irrespective of their relationship with the victim.

He said that the killing of Manya Doddamani, who married a Scheduled Caste youth, reflected deep-rooted caste prejudice and intolerance. He said that the brutal killing of the pregnant woman by her own family for marrying outside her caste has exposed the persistence of caste hatred and social discrimination.

Recalling the reformist ideals of Basavanna, he said that inter-caste marriages were promoted centuries ago to eradicate caste divisions, yet such incidents continue to occur.

Mr. Pujari urged the State government to provide legal protection to these inter-caste couples, enhance incentive schemes to support them economically and socially and extend special facilities like reservation benefits.

He further demanded public awareness programmes in districts prone to honour killings and sought effective implementation of the recommendations of the G.S. Verma Committee and the Ugrappa Committee to prevent atrocities against women.

A memorandum was submitted to the State government through the Tahsildar by Mr. Pujari and office-bearers of other organisations, including Udachappa Malgi, Veeran N. Gaddi, Narayan Mandal, Kalandar Alligowda and Harish Korpade and others who led the protest.

In Kalaburagi

Terming the honour killing of Hubballi as extremely sensitive and deeply disturbing, members of the Maryade Hatya Virodhi Horata Samiti staged a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Wednesday, condemning the brutal murder of the pregnant woman by her father.

Addressing the protesters, samiti members and activists K. Neela, Arjun Bhadre and A.B. Hosamani said that the case reflected the sensitive and alarming nature of honour-related crimes which were increasing across the State due to intolerance towards the choice made by young people, particularly women.

Such incidents undermine Constitutional values and pose a serious challenge to social harmony, they added.

The agitators demanded that the State government treat the matter with utmost sensitivity and enact a specific and stringent law to prevent honour killing.