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The spate of horrific rapes in
Haryana in particular (Sept 2012) has drawn the national attention
to this abominable phenomenon. Various diagnosis and prescriptions
have also come forward about the causes and as to how to prevent
these rapes is also being suggested by different people.
Interestingly the world view of those advising on the issue is
shaped their world view as such. While the progressive liberal
tendencies and ideologies will link the phenomenon of rape to the
prevalent uneven gender equations and so what follows as a
preventive measure is the need to empower women and strengthen
liberal norms in the society. The conservative opinions also have
a wide shades of understandings.
Not too long ago a police top cop in Hyderabad linked rape to the
clothes of girls, and he was applauded by the Rashtra Seviak
Samiti, the women’s organization subordinate to the RSS. There is
caste equation also in the phenomenon seen in caste atrocities
where dalit women bear the large brunt of the phenomenon, the
worst of which was witnessed in Khairlanji. In communal violence,
the ‘women of other community’ are subjected to this humiliation.
In a way the bodies of women become the site of contestation
amongst these social groups, where women are regarded as the
property of men.
In the spate of recent shameful incidents, the notorious Khaps
gave the dictat that the age of marriage of girl should be lowered
to 15 as now the girls reach puberty early, before 11 years of age
so this change should be exercised. Omprakash Chautala, before
retracting his statement later, said “In the past, especially in
Mughal era, people used to marry their girls to save them from
such atrocities. Currently a situation of similar kind is arising
in Haryana.” This formulation has lot of holes in it. Does
marriage prevent rapes? Married women are also subjected to this
atrocity is too well known. Is it that the early marriage for
girls has become because of the atrocities of Mughals on ‘Hindu’
women? The latter formulation is also a part of social common
sense prevalent in the sections of society. Many an instances like
Padminis’ Jauhar (Putting oneself in the fire) to prevent being
humiliated by the rival king and the army is supposed to be one
such example.
There is no doubt that many women might have committed such
suicides to save themselves from anticipated situation. In the
classic serial Tamas, a similar scene where women jump into the
well to prevent their humiliation also starkly comes to one’s
mind. But is it that the Mughal rule or the rule of Muslim kings
in different parts of the country stands out for such horrendous
ignominies, while rulers of other religions were protecting women?
One recalls when Shivaji’s armies went to plunder Kalayan, apart
from other loot they also brought the ‘daughter in law’ of
Kalyan’s ruler as a gift for Shivaji. It is another matter that
Shivaji sent her back with full honours. The plunder of wealth and
the humiliation, rape of women by different armies was and is the
part of the highhanded behaviour of the armies.
Armies in the
past, irrespective of being Hindus, Muslims or Christian did it
and are doing it even now. One should shudder to think of the
atrocities, which took place in Bosnia and Rwanda. Closer home
this is what took place and is taking place in Kashmir or North
East. The case of Manorama, who was abducted, raped and killed by
the Indian army, will be etched in the memory of the nation as a
dark spot on national conscience. After this event many a women
protested in a most shaming way, stripping and carrying a banner
“Indian Army rape us”.
The phenomenon which has taken place has
been due to the armed might of Kings-Generals- armies. This is a
phenomenon cutting across religions. Here in India to attribute it
to Muslims Kings and army alone is a part of ‘Communal
historiography’ presented in a selective way. Incidentally,
communal historiography is a way of presenting history through the
prism of Kings’ religion, which was introduced in India by British
to pursue their ‘divide and rule’ policy. One should also remember
that the armies of Mughal kings were mixed, with Hindus and
Muslims both being part of it. Do remember that the Commander of
Chief of Akbar was Raja Mansingh and Aurangzeb had Mirza Raja
Jaisingh as his associate.
As such the child marriage, early
marriage and marrying the girls before they attain puberty had
become a part of ‘religion’ so to say. During nineteenth century
when the reformers were calling for the raise in the age of
marriage of girls, the conservative sections argued that the Hindu
girls must cohabit with their husbands before their first menses.
During a debate on raising the age of consent for girls it was
argued that raising the age of consent to 12 would increase such a
possibility of a girl having her menses before cohabitation so
such a move by the state will tantamount to the ruler interfering
in Hindu religion.
The trends for early marriage and
few voices calling for the raise in the age of marriage has been
debated since quite few centuries and those wanting to increase
the age of marriage could succeed only gradually and more so after
Independence. Even amongst Muslims the conservative sections have
been demanding the lowering of the age of marriage for girls. Both
conservative sections think alike, as the real issue is not
religion, but control over lives of women, strengthening
patriarchy. This patriarchy has been presented as the part of
religious practice, and in that way the imposition of patriarchal
norms becomes easier.
Early marriage ensures a total slavery of the girls, apart from
other miseries which follow due to early child bearing apart from
the responsibility of household chores. The early marriage and
pregnancy is also a biological risk to the mother and the child.
So the struggle as such is between the attempt to rid the society
of patriarchal control on one side and re-imposing the feudal
norms in current times on the other. It is no wonder that Khaps,
which are the most assertive in Haryana and other regions of North
India, is also the area where the atrocities against Dalits are on
the peak and the sex ratio is the lowest in the country. The
agenda of these Khaps, the exclusive male bodies, is very visible
in this area in the form of caste and gender subjugation.
The Khaps, which are illegal, have been asserting and giving dictats
on intra gotra marriages and the cases which are equivalent of
honour killing are also visible on and off. Overall the likes of
Chautala, may retract their statement due to the pressures of
political considerations, but their articulations do express the
reality of places like Haryana. The need for social reform,
women’s education-employment-empowerment is one of the keys to
overcome the fatwa’s of the self appointed lawmakers. These Khaps
need to be done away and Panchayats with 50% reservation for women
need to be empowered as per our Constitutional norms. The
interesting point of the Haryana phenomenon is that the major
victims of their agenda, women and dalits, both are facing the
atrocities.
While multiple theories and opinions on why rape as a phenomenon
prevails, the major cause of this phenomenon, the patriarchy and
the uneven gender relations need to be highlighted to be able to
go to the root of the issue. Doing away with Khap and promoting
the grass root democracy through Panchayat system will be the way
towards a more just, gender just, sans the chains of the likes of
Khap or their equivalents in some form or the other.
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