It was indeed a very shameful and painful moment for many Keralites, aand anyone who came across the news of the recent honour killing (“Honour killing rocks Kerala assembly”, Gulf News, June 5). Honour killing has been prevalent in India for decades and we need to face the fact that even in this era, where man has moved forward in many aspects of life, there are still people who have not come out of their narrow mindedness. With due respect to all religions and their cultures, there is nothing above humanity. On what basis can people justify such a heinous act on humanity? As per Indian constitutional provisions, any man and woman of legal age are entitled to take decisions regarding their life on their own. A marriage registered as per law, which cannot be disputed in court, how does any ordinary citizen of a democratic nation have the right to pass their own verdict against them and give their own sentence? The basic reason for all the recent crimes is the fact that people are sure that whatever crime they commit, however brutal it may be, if you have a good lawyer with you and the power, you can come out a free person. Some people drag the case for many years. The Indian courts need to seriously look into the matter and take necessary measures to ensure that no law breakers are let free. Punishments should be administered within a minimal time frame, so that the next time such a case happens, or if someone consideres taking someone’s life, they see their own ‘death sentence’ before their eyes.
- The reader is a resident of Abu Dhabi
