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Can Husband be made Brother?
- Thread starter dahiyars
- Start date
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
That's what I thought of, and may be both were living in the same villege ...
But still apart from this, as both are married now, no way they should be separated.
But still apart from this, as both are married now, no way they should be separated.
Ajay Singh Bamel (Oct 16, 2004 09:27 a.m.):
The reaL issue is that the village has rathi's and then as per that she becomes daughter of village and such marriages will only spoil social harmony of village. This is very old case and earlier also KHAP had told the Dahiya Family that they can settle somewhere else but not in village and they are very right in their decision seeing the social responsibility. Media has projected the same in wrong way and not portryed the real issue.
**********
**********
Here are some facts that bear significance on this case.
1. The girl Sonia hails from Kiloi village. Sonia was known to one of the sisters of Rampal before she married Rampal. According to reports, the entire family of Rampal is fond of Sonia. Rampal’s mother, in particular, speaks very well of Sonia. All this leads to a conclusion that this is a happy marriage.
2. Some 15 months after the wedding, some kind of rift in extended families on Rampal’s side (not very uncommon to these Jats!) ushered them to become self-styled social reformers and the drama started. Only our Jat folks are capable of getting lives messed up in manners which could be totally inconceivable to civilized societies. A few years ago, a similar drama was staged in Jiondhi village. That family did not yield to Khap’s pressure of dissolving the marriage and then chose to shift their residence. That case might have involved intercaste marriage, though I may not sure. May be someone familiar with that case can point out the nature of the problem therein.
3. These Khap organizations have nothing useful to do. It would be nice if they concentrate on educating their children (especially females) and get out of their stone-age mind set. It is a pity and a matter of shame on our Jat Khaps that they still dwell in conditions that are self destructive. May be this burden of Jathood is way too heavy on their heads and they can’t think much. If you want to see the truth, then visit villages in Haryana.
4. It is simply commendable that Haryana branch of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties took the initiative and the Panjab and Haryana High Court has intervened to issue orders in favor of Sonia and Rampal. Clearly the civil liberties of the couple in question have been violated, which is unconstitutional.
5. I sincerely hope that educated young crowd of our Jats try to get out of this revolving destructive marry-go-round that has been spinning us for centuries and we have not gone anywhere. For social reforms regarding marriages, I expressed my views in the thread "A Marriage - It is Your Life".
**********
Here are some facts that bear significance on this case.
1. The girl Sonia hails from Kiloi village. Sonia was known to one of the sisters of Rampal before she married Rampal. According to reports, the entire family of Rampal is fond of Sonia. Rampal’s mother, in particular, speaks very well of Sonia. All this leads to a conclusion that this is a happy marriage.
2. Some 15 months after the wedding, some kind of rift in extended families on Rampal’s side (not very uncommon to these Jats!) ushered them to become self-styled social reformers and the drama started. Only our Jat folks are capable of getting lives messed up in manners which could be totally inconceivable to civilized societies. A few years ago, a similar drama was staged in Jiondhi village. That family did not yield to Khap’s pressure of dissolving the marriage and then chose to shift their residence. That case might have involved intercaste marriage, though I may not sure. May be someone familiar with that case can point out the nature of the problem therein.
3. These Khap organizations have nothing useful to do. It would be nice if they concentrate on educating their children (especially females) and get out of their stone-age mind set. It is a pity and a matter of shame on our Jat Khaps that they still dwell in conditions that are self destructive. May be this burden of Jathood is way too heavy on their heads and they can’t think much. If you want to see the truth, then visit villages in Haryana.
4. It is simply commendable that Haryana branch of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties took the initiative and the Panjab and Haryana High Court has intervened to issue orders in favor of Sonia and Rampal. Clearly the civil liberties of the couple in question have been violated, which is unconstitutional.
5. I sincerely hope that educated young crowd of our Jats try to get out of this revolving destructive marry-go-round that has been spinning us for centuries and we have not gone anywhere. For social reforms regarding marriages, I expressed my views in the thread "A Marriage - It is Your Life".
KHAPS MUST BE PUNISHED -HUMAN VALUES ARE MORE IMPORTANT
Why can’t DM take action?
Khaps must be punished
THE trauma Sonia of Asanda has been subjected to is not likely to have an early end. The television channels are now chasing her story. On Friday the Asanda panchayat met again at the request of Sonia’s father to review its direction to her and husband Rampal to live as sister and brother. The panchayat has decided to meet again on October 24 to examine the gotra evidence for deciding the legality of the marriage. Until then Rampal’s and Sonia’s trauma will continue.
The Tribune has talked to the husband and it was clear that it was Sonia’s act of defiance that made Rampal go back on his decision to accept the irrational and revolting order. However, the avoidable tension has told on her health. Doctors at the PGI, Rohtak, want her protected from further trauma. This is an important condition for saving the unborn. But what is the district administration doing to shield her and Rampal from continued harassment by the community elders, sitting in judgement on what she should do? Absolutely nothing. It is shocking that the Deputy Commissioner of Jhajjar, Mr Mohinder Kumar, is waiting for a formal complaint for the harassed couple. If he knew his job or had some human concern, he would have booked the members of the khap for intimidating the couple 18 months after their marriage and causing social tension.
The episode is now no longer a local issue. A number of lawyers and women’s organisations have decided to take on the Asanda khap. Their initiative deserves to be welcomed. However, the Haryana government should prepare a plan of action for dealing with any situation that may arise out of the proposed direct action various organisations propose to take in defence of Sonia and Rampal. There are indications that the Asanda community elders’ decision may force the Centre and various state governments to place curbs on their powers through appropriate legislation. Such reforms are overdue because in the past khaps have tried to play havoc with the lives of couples for daring to marry outside of their castes. No organisation should be allowed to get away with meddling with Sonia’s and Rampal’s lives and indulging in social coercion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jay Jawan Jay Kisan Jay Jat Shaheed
Date: Oct 15, 2004 on 03:59 p.m.
Dharmpal Singh Dudee
Active Member
in Members
posts: 1697
since: Dec 30, 2001
ip: 213.48.202.105 2. Re:KHAPS MUST BE PUNISHED NOT SONIA?RAMPHAL
Tribune Impact
Protect Sonia, husband: HC
Our High Court Correspondent
Chandigarh, October 15
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stepped into the ongoing controversy over the direction of a gotra khap panchayat asking a pregnant woman to dissolve her marriage with her husband and treat him as her brother.
Directing the Haryana Government and the Haryana Police to protect the life and liberty of the girl, Sonia, and her husband, Rampal, “at all costs”, the Bench also issued notice of motion for November 22 to the respondents.
Taking up a public interest litigation filed by the Haryana branch of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties through its general secretary, advocate Ashish Goel, the Bench of Chief Justice B.K. Roy and Mr Justice Surya Kant also restrained the khap panchayat from interfering in the marital life of the couple.
Noting that nobody could be allowed to change the lives of people in such a manner, the Bench also directed the authorities to ensure that nobody could coerce the couple to change the status of their marriage.
Enclosing reports published in The Tribune in the October 12 and October 14 issues, the petitioner had sought directions to the respondents to take immediate steps to protect the lives of the couple as also restrain the panchayat members from interfering in their marital life.
The petitioner has also pointed out that this was not the first such case in Haryana. It is also stated in the petition that it was surprising that despite reports, no action had been initiated by the district administration and the police in the matter.
One and a half years after marriage, three months pregnant, Sonia had been directed by the gotra khap panchayat to dissolve her marriage and accept her husband as a brother. However, Sonia had responded contemptuously to the panchayat diktat, saying that she would prefer death to following the order.
The decision of the khap panchayat of three villages — Asanda, Baproda and Kharhar — was based on the suspicion that Sonia belonged to the Rathi gotra and a marriage between the Rathi and Dahiya gotras was not socially acceptable.
Sonia, however, claimed that she belonged to Hooda gotra. While nobody objected to the marriage for over 15 months, leaders of the Rathi khap became active about three months ago and tried to prevail upon Rampal and Sonia to dissolve the marriage and accept each other as brother and sister.
A panchayat convened by them told Rampal and his family that marriages between members of the Rathi and Dahiya gotras were socially unacceptable.
As such Rampal and Sonia should dissolve their marriage and accept each other as brother and sister.
After the panchayat direction, Sonia was admitted to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, for a threatened abortion.
Rohtak (TNS): Welcoming the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a beaming Sonia said today that she would go to Asanda directly once she was discharged from the PGIMS Hospital here.
Talking to The Tribune, she said, “I don’t think I will now need much of medical care. The real medicine has come from the court.”
Sonia said she hoped the panchayat would realise its folly. “I only hope they will never do this to anyone. Not to me.
And not to anybody else. It was a harrowing experience which nearly cost me my and my unborn baby’s lives”, she added.
Doctors who were till an hour ago saying she was under tremendous stress and sounded incoherent whenever the issue of the panchayat’s decision came up, said Sonia’s condition had improved dramatically once the court decision was conveyed to her.
ABHI TO HC BHI JAG GAE
KHPAS PANCHAYAT PERSONAL LIFE MAE DAKAL
NA KARE
HUMAN LIFE AND PERSONAL FREEDOM IS IMPORTANT.
Wait and see until 24 october.
This is not the frist or last case at least 10 cases of khap panchyat happened. no action was taken by court or police.
one case in Jonti
2 Patawas kalan
3 makdana-
Ponia khap in jind dist
Husband missing from Sapla
Joon and Ahlawat khap.
Charkhi case
Sangwan & Kadiyan khap
This is only start of mob rule.
Khap was a social organigation. It need need to reform to work in 2004.
or replace it with more moderan panchayti raj.
Press-media- Lawyers all doing their job this is good start. but it is not like that some ring from out side to police and press and get fixed.
City based civil liberity not pass beyond Bhadur garh
What we need a rural base mass movement and strong rural front of social worker.
Jase Jhujhu Gaum ki women- aurat lad lekar khadi ho gaye. aur 40 sangwan ky gaom ki saravbandi karva kar theke uthwa deye. Usake vad Sheoran khap ne Panchayat karke 52-25
84 gaum mae sarav badi lagu kari thi.
We need a mass movement like that.
-
Jay Jawan Jay Kisan Jay Jat Shaheed
Date: Oct 15, 2004 on 06:05 p.m.
Why can’t DM take action?
Khaps must be punished
THE trauma Sonia of Asanda has been subjected to is not likely to have an early end. The television channels are now chasing her story. On Friday the Asanda panchayat met again at the request of Sonia’s father to review its direction to her and husband Rampal to live as sister and brother. The panchayat has decided to meet again on October 24 to examine the gotra evidence for deciding the legality of the marriage. Until then Rampal’s and Sonia’s trauma will continue.
The Tribune has talked to the husband and it was clear that it was Sonia’s act of defiance that made Rampal go back on his decision to accept the irrational and revolting order. However, the avoidable tension has told on her health. Doctors at the PGI, Rohtak, want her protected from further trauma. This is an important condition for saving the unborn. But what is the district administration doing to shield her and Rampal from continued harassment by the community elders, sitting in judgement on what she should do? Absolutely nothing. It is shocking that the Deputy Commissioner of Jhajjar, Mr Mohinder Kumar, is waiting for a formal complaint for the harassed couple. If he knew his job or had some human concern, he would have booked the members of the khap for intimidating the couple 18 months after their marriage and causing social tension.
The episode is now no longer a local issue. A number of lawyers and women’s organisations have decided to take on the Asanda khap. Their initiative deserves to be welcomed. However, the Haryana government should prepare a plan of action for dealing with any situation that may arise out of the proposed direct action various organisations propose to take in defence of Sonia and Rampal. There are indications that the Asanda community elders’ decision may force the Centre and various state governments to place curbs on their powers through appropriate legislation. Such reforms are overdue because in the past khaps have tried to play havoc with the lives of couples for daring to marry outside of their castes. No organisation should be allowed to get away with meddling with Sonia’s and Rampal’s lives and indulging in social coercion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jay Jawan Jay Kisan Jay Jat Shaheed
Date: Oct 15, 2004 on 03:59 p.m.
Dharmpal Singh Dudee
Active Member
in Members
posts: 1697
since: Dec 30, 2001
ip: 213.48.202.105 2. Re:KHAPS MUST BE PUNISHED NOT SONIA?RAMPHAL
Tribune Impact
Protect Sonia, husband: HC
Our High Court Correspondent
Chandigarh, October 15
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stepped into the ongoing controversy over the direction of a gotra khap panchayat asking a pregnant woman to dissolve her marriage with her husband and treat him as her brother.
Directing the Haryana Government and the Haryana Police to protect the life and liberty of the girl, Sonia, and her husband, Rampal, “at all costs”, the Bench also issued notice of motion for November 22 to the respondents.
Taking up a public interest litigation filed by the Haryana branch of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties through its general secretary, advocate Ashish Goel, the Bench of Chief Justice B.K. Roy and Mr Justice Surya Kant also restrained the khap panchayat from interfering in the marital life of the couple.
Noting that nobody could be allowed to change the lives of people in such a manner, the Bench also directed the authorities to ensure that nobody could coerce the couple to change the status of their marriage.
Enclosing reports published in The Tribune in the October 12 and October 14 issues, the petitioner had sought directions to the respondents to take immediate steps to protect the lives of the couple as also restrain the panchayat members from interfering in their marital life.
The petitioner has also pointed out that this was not the first such case in Haryana. It is also stated in the petition that it was surprising that despite reports, no action had been initiated by the district administration and the police in the matter.
One and a half years after marriage, three months pregnant, Sonia had been directed by the gotra khap panchayat to dissolve her marriage and accept her husband as a brother. However, Sonia had responded contemptuously to the panchayat diktat, saying that she would prefer death to following the order.
The decision of the khap panchayat of three villages — Asanda, Baproda and Kharhar — was based on the suspicion that Sonia belonged to the Rathi gotra and a marriage between the Rathi and Dahiya gotras was not socially acceptable.
Sonia, however, claimed that she belonged to Hooda gotra. While nobody objected to the marriage for over 15 months, leaders of the Rathi khap became active about three months ago and tried to prevail upon Rampal and Sonia to dissolve the marriage and accept each other as brother and sister.
A panchayat convened by them told Rampal and his family that marriages between members of the Rathi and Dahiya gotras were socially unacceptable.
As such Rampal and Sonia should dissolve their marriage and accept each other as brother and sister.
After the panchayat direction, Sonia was admitted to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, for a threatened abortion.
Rohtak (TNS): Welcoming the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a beaming Sonia said today that she would go to Asanda directly once she was discharged from the PGIMS Hospital here.
Talking to The Tribune, she said, “I don’t think I will now need much of medical care. The real medicine has come from the court.”
Sonia said she hoped the panchayat would realise its folly. “I only hope they will never do this to anyone. Not to me.
And not to anybody else. It was a harrowing experience which nearly cost me my and my unborn baby’s lives”, she added.
Doctors who were till an hour ago saying she was under tremendous stress and sounded incoherent whenever the issue of the panchayat’s decision came up, said Sonia’s condition had improved dramatically once the court decision was conveyed to her.
ABHI TO HC BHI JAG GAE
KHPAS PANCHAYAT PERSONAL LIFE MAE DAKAL
NA KARE
HUMAN LIFE AND PERSONAL FREEDOM IS IMPORTANT.
Wait and see until 24 october.
This is not the frist or last case at least 10 cases of khap panchyat happened. no action was taken by court or police.
one case in Jonti
2 Patawas kalan
3 makdana-
Ponia khap in jind dist
Husband missing from Sapla
Joon and Ahlawat khap.
Charkhi case
Sangwan & Kadiyan khap
This is only start of mob rule.
Khap was a social organigation. It need need to reform to work in 2004.
or replace it with more moderan panchayti raj.
Press-media- Lawyers all doing their job this is good start. but it is not like that some ring from out side to police and press and get fixed.
City based civil liberity not pass beyond Bhadur garh
What we need a rural base mass movement and strong rural front of social worker.
Jase Jhujhu Gaum ki women- aurat lad lekar khadi ho gaye. aur 40 sangwan ky gaom ki saravbandi karva kar theke uthwa deye. Usake vad Sheoran khap ne Panchayat karke 52-25
84 gaum mae sarav badi lagu kari thi.
We need a mass movement like that.
-
Jay Jawan Jay Kisan Jay Jat Shaheed
Date: Oct 15, 2004 on 06:05 p.m.
sanjaychhikara
New member
Col Virendra S Tavathia(Retd) (Oct 16, 2004 08:38 a.m.):
It is painful to hear what our Khaps are doing. If that is what they are doing, let us not have them. More painful is that the District administration, Police and local MLA and MP had done nothing in this matter. It required a Goel Advocate to file the petition. Where are all Jat Advocates? Not even one considered his moral duty to challange Khap's decision to help this young couple.
quote]
Col. saab,
dont expect anything from the local administration.
The Jhajjar Mr Mohinder Kumar, SP Mohammed Akil and efen the local MLA Nafe Singh Rahtee cant and wont do anything, they are just covering their own backs. In recent years there where a few similiar cases in Jhajjar district which didnt come in the national news, and in which no body interverd.
"This is not the frist or last case at least 10 cases of khap panchyat happened. no action was taken by court or police.
one case in Jonti
2 Patawas kalan
3 makdana-
Ponia khap in jind dist
Husband missing from Sapla
Joon and Ahlawat khap.
Charkhi case
Sangwan & Kadiyan khap"
________
Dharmpal Ji:
Could you (or anyone else who has knowledge about any of these cases) please write a couple of lines about each case just to give an idea about what was involved.
Regards,
Budh
one case in Jonti
2 Patawas kalan
3 makdana-
Ponia khap in jind dist
Husband missing from Sapla
Joon and Ahlawat khap.
Charkhi case
Sangwan & Kadiyan khap"
________
Dharmpal Ji:
Could you (or anyone else who has knowledge about any of these cases) please write a couple of lines about each case just to give an idea about what was involved.
Regards,
Budh
Budh ji.
I will write in details soon more news for you here
------------------------------------------------The terror of khaps: Leadership cowers before kangaroo courts
by L.H. Naqvi
Sonia: The latest victim
Sonia of Asanda is lucky to be alive. So is her husband Rampal. Any number of instances can be dug up of khap panchayats having ordered the killing of couples for defying the oppressive and irrational caste-based social code of the community. Her own determination to challenge the irrational order of the village elders asking her to treat her husband as her brother is largely responsible for the happy turn of events.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court responded promptly to a public interest petition filed by the Haryana unit of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties and directed the Asanda khap to not interfere in the marital affairs of Rampal and Sonia. The judiciary has done its bit. However, the larger issue of how to neutralise the influence of the khaps, that exist everywhere in India under different names, over rural communities needs a political response.
The system should have been dumped in the dustbin of history after Independence. The list of the victims of the tyranny of the Jat-dominated khaps, active mostly in Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, since Independence would make civil society hang its head in shame. Most of the atrocities against socially and economically weaker sections are committed in the name of protecting “honour”.
According to studies by civil liberty organisations, honour killing is not just a Pakistani malaise. It is practised in areas where Jats and Rajputs put a heavy premium on their moochh. Less than a month ago a case of alleged honour killing in a village in Rajasthan provoked the PUCL to write a strong letter to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
Briefly, this is what happened. Neelam of Shahadpur and Vaijanti from Mahua village eloped with Rajesh Bairwa and Mahipal Gurjar. All the four were under 18 years of age. They belonged to the same gotra. The police brought them back from Mumbai. The boys were sent to a juvenile home and the girls to their parents. Neelam was allegedly made to end her life, (or was she killed?) by her relatives because of the pressure from the local khap. Vaijanti's parents too are under pressure to remove the physical manifestation of the social kalank.
There is a method in the madness that the khaps practice. If the boy and the girl are both Dalits, the community elders usually order them killed for violating the caste laws that prohibit marriages between the same gotras. This happened in Saharanpur and Bulandshahr in UP a few years ago. If the girl comes from a low caste, and boy is a swarna, the khap recommends the public rape of the girl or her female relatives. In May, 2000, a mother was gang-raped and paraded naked in Faridkot in Punjab because her brother was involved with an upper caste girl. If a Dalit boy dares to marry an upper caste girl, the entire family of the boy is made to pay.
Jhajjar district, currently in the news because of the harassment of Sonia, has a history of caste violence. Four years ago a number of Dalits were lynched on the suspicion of aiding and abetting cow slaughter. The khaps did not intervene in favour of the Dalits. However, when the upper caste youths, allegedly behind the lynching, were arrested, a maha-panchayat was called by the Guliya khap for demanding their immediate release. The national highway was blocked and public property destroyed, and the police looked the other way.
Two years ago Jhajjar was in the news again for the usual reason. When Rajpal, a Dalit youth, eloped with Sushila, a Jat girl from Talaav village in July, 2002, it invited the fury of a mob that wanted to “avenge the 'insult”. His family had to flee and only Dalits were arrested for “disturbing the peace”. Needless to say, Sushila, the Jat girl, was found dead, and other persons from both sides too kept dying under circumstances that were never explained.
In January, the All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) organised a daylong convention for discussing the role of khaps in sanctifying “honour killings”. Since the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was still in power the left-wing association spent most of its energy on castigating the saffron parties for ignoring the problem. The fact is that the khaps, with their extra-judicial powers, were in existence in India before the birth of the political parties in their present form.
Social justice was an irritating slogan in feudal India. The caste-dominated creation of khaps was encouraged for taking “care” of socially inconvenient issues locally because the rulers ihad more pleasurable pastimes to pursue.
But the AIDWA convention was not just anti-saffron rhetoric. There was Geeta from Punjab to narrate how in 2003 her husband Jasbir was hacked to death in full public view two months after their marriage. Jasbir was a Jat Sikh and Geeta a Rajput.
In Muzaffarnagar in UP at least 13 honour killings were reported within 13 months in 2002 and 2003, Over 30 couples were declared missing. According to AIDWA estimates 10 per cent of all honour killings take place in Haryana and Punjab. Yet, no political party dares to raise its voice against the tyranny of the khaps. Why?
In UP and Bihar, the Dalits enjoy state protection. They are not touched even if there is evidence of their involvement in acts of crime. This happened after the Mandalisation of society. In Rajasthan, western UP, Haryana and Punjab the whip continues to be with the Rajputs and Jats. In a manner of speaking, a large number of communities, from either side of the caste divide, have placed themselves above the laws of the land.
The remedy is simple. Political parties will have to close their ranks and support a comprehensive law for dealing with the threat that the private writ of religious denominations or region-specific dominant castes pose to the growth of a robust democratic polity based on the rule of law.
I will write in details soon more news for you here
------------------------------------------------The terror of khaps: Leadership cowers before kangaroo courts
by L.H. Naqvi
Sonia: The latest victim
Sonia of Asanda is lucky to be alive. So is her husband Rampal. Any number of instances can be dug up of khap panchayats having ordered the killing of couples for defying the oppressive and irrational caste-based social code of the community. Her own determination to challenge the irrational order of the village elders asking her to treat her husband as her brother is largely responsible for the happy turn of events.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court responded promptly to a public interest petition filed by the Haryana unit of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties and directed the Asanda khap to not interfere in the marital affairs of Rampal and Sonia. The judiciary has done its bit. However, the larger issue of how to neutralise the influence of the khaps, that exist everywhere in India under different names, over rural communities needs a political response.
The system should have been dumped in the dustbin of history after Independence. The list of the victims of the tyranny of the Jat-dominated khaps, active mostly in Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, since Independence would make civil society hang its head in shame. Most of the atrocities against socially and economically weaker sections are committed in the name of protecting “honour”.
According to studies by civil liberty organisations, honour killing is not just a Pakistani malaise. It is practised in areas where Jats and Rajputs put a heavy premium on their moochh. Less than a month ago a case of alleged honour killing in a village in Rajasthan provoked the PUCL to write a strong letter to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
Briefly, this is what happened. Neelam of Shahadpur and Vaijanti from Mahua village eloped with Rajesh Bairwa and Mahipal Gurjar. All the four were under 18 years of age. They belonged to the same gotra. The police brought them back from Mumbai. The boys were sent to a juvenile home and the girls to their parents. Neelam was allegedly made to end her life, (or was she killed?) by her relatives because of the pressure from the local khap. Vaijanti's parents too are under pressure to remove the physical manifestation of the social kalank.
There is a method in the madness that the khaps practice. If the boy and the girl are both Dalits, the community elders usually order them killed for violating the caste laws that prohibit marriages between the same gotras. This happened in Saharanpur and Bulandshahr in UP a few years ago. If the girl comes from a low caste, and boy is a swarna, the khap recommends the public rape of the girl or her female relatives. In May, 2000, a mother was gang-raped and paraded naked in Faridkot in Punjab because her brother was involved with an upper caste girl. If a Dalit boy dares to marry an upper caste girl, the entire family of the boy is made to pay.
Jhajjar district, currently in the news because of the harassment of Sonia, has a history of caste violence. Four years ago a number of Dalits were lynched on the suspicion of aiding and abetting cow slaughter. The khaps did not intervene in favour of the Dalits. However, when the upper caste youths, allegedly behind the lynching, were arrested, a maha-panchayat was called by the Guliya khap for demanding their immediate release. The national highway was blocked and public property destroyed, and the police looked the other way.
Two years ago Jhajjar was in the news again for the usual reason. When Rajpal, a Dalit youth, eloped with Sushila, a Jat girl from Talaav village in July, 2002, it invited the fury of a mob that wanted to “avenge the 'insult”. His family had to flee and only Dalits were arrested for “disturbing the peace”. Needless to say, Sushila, the Jat girl, was found dead, and other persons from both sides too kept dying under circumstances that were never explained.
In January, the All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) organised a daylong convention for discussing the role of khaps in sanctifying “honour killings”. Since the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was still in power the left-wing association spent most of its energy on castigating the saffron parties for ignoring the problem. The fact is that the khaps, with their extra-judicial powers, were in existence in India before the birth of the political parties in their present form.
Social justice was an irritating slogan in feudal India. The caste-dominated creation of khaps was encouraged for taking “care” of socially inconvenient issues locally because the rulers ihad more pleasurable pastimes to pursue.
But the AIDWA convention was not just anti-saffron rhetoric. There was Geeta from Punjab to narrate how in 2003 her husband Jasbir was hacked to death in full public view two months after their marriage. Jasbir was a Jat Sikh and Geeta a Rajput.
In Muzaffarnagar in UP at least 13 honour killings were reported within 13 months in 2002 and 2003, Over 30 couples were declared missing. According to AIDWA estimates 10 per cent of all honour killings take place in Haryana and Punjab. Yet, no political party dares to raise its voice against the tyranny of the khaps. Why?
In UP and Bihar, the Dalits enjoy state protection. They are not touched even if there is evidence of their involvement in acts of crime. This happened after the Mandalisation of society. In Rajasthan, western UP, Haryana and Punjab the whip continues to be with the Rajputs and Jats. In a manner of speaking, a large number of communities, from either side of the caste divide, have placed themselves above the laws of the land.
The remedy is simple. Political parties will have to close their ranks and support a comprehensive law for dealing with the threat that the private writ of religious denominations or region-specific dominant castes pose to the growth of a robust democratic polity based on the rule of law.
It’s not over for Sonia, says husband
Raman Mohan
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, October 16
The Punjab and Haryana High Court may have put an end to Sonia’s and Rampal’s travails, but not entirely. The threat to their lives is more real now than ever before. And despite this, in the name of police protection, four policemen have been stationed at their house in Asanda village, while the couple continues to be without a security cover in clear violation of the court orders.
Rampal is by Sonia’s side in the gynaecology ward of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences here and so is his mother Moorti. There is not a single policeman stationed here to guard them.
Asked by The Tribune about the security cover, Rampal said, “A policeman met me this morning. He told me that should I sense trouble, I should contact him at the PGIMS police post. For my convenience, he left the police post’s phone number.” Significantly, the nearest PCO from the ward is about 400 metres away.
Luckily, the security guards of PGIMS posted at Sonia’s ward are not allowing anyone in, but they are unarmed. There have been reports of at least three attempts to intrude into Sonia’s ward since Friday night. The watchful PGIMS guards, however, thwarted the attempts.
The entire family is worried about their security. Rampal’s mother Moorti left the village this morning for Rohtak. None of the policemen posted at her house offered to accompany her. “I just walked out of the door and they could not care less. But I am not the one to be cowed down. I caught a maxi-cab and came here. Sonia needs fresh milk, she said.
Asanda appears calm and quiet, but only from outside. Beneath the surface, the panchayat supporters are simmering with rage. When The Tribune met a youth there and asked for directions to Rampal’s house, just to gauge the reaction, he spat and went his way. An elderly villager who saw this happen offered a warning. “Do not make such queries. They are after Sonia’s and Rampal’s blood. At the first opportunity, they will finish both off”, he said and shut the door.
But not everybody appeared that angry. Many others said the court orders brought a welcome relief after a week of tension and anarchy. But none of them would want the couple to return, not for now at least. “The court may have restrained the panchayat from imposing the dictat. But what will it do if the villagers boycott the family socially. That will not be any breach of the law. And this is a distinct possibility”, said a resident of the village.
Another indication of the threats to Sonia’s and Rampal’s lives can be seen in the answer to a simple query. The question was: Do you think there is a threat to their lives in the village? The answer: There are all kinds of people in every village; who knows?
Back in Rohtak, Rampal and his brother-in-law Kuldeep agreed with this assessment. “I am worried. How long will the four policemen stay at my house? I have to move out and trek the lonely furrow to my fields at odd hours. Who will protect me”, Rampal asked, looking a shade forlorn and addressing the sentence more to himself than anybody else present.
Then he muttered: “The least they (villagers) will do is boycott us. In that case too, we cannot live in Asanda. Somehow, we have to convince the panchayat to accept us back”. The ex-sarpanch of Sonia’s parental village Kiloi, Jasbir Hooda, nodded in agreement. “The court has given us a big relief. Now the panchayat has to be convinced to be magnanimous enough”, he said.
That is exactly what needs to be done. Somebody has to take up from where the court has left at the moment.
Raman Mohan
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, October 16
The Punjab and Haryana High Court may have put an end to Sonia’s and Rampal’s travails, but not entirely. The threat to their lives is more real now than ever before. And despite this, in the name of police protection, four policemen have been stationed at their house in Asanda village, while the couple continues to be without a security cover in clear violation of the court orders.
Rampal is by Sonia’s side in the gynaecology ward of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences here and so is his mother Moorti. There is not a single policeman stationed here to guard them.
Asked by The Tribune about the security cover, Rampal said, “A policeman met me this morning. He told me that should I sense trouble, I should contact him at the PGIMS police post. For my convenience, he left the police post’s phone number.” Significantly, the nearest PCO from the ward is about 400 metres away.
Luckily, the security guards of PGIMS posted at Sonia’s ward are not allowing anyone in, but they are unarmed. There have been reports of at least three attempts to intrude into Sonia’s ward since Friday night. The watchful PGIMS guards, however, thwarted the attempts.
The entire family is worried about their security. Rampal’s mother Moorti left the village this morning for Rohtak. None of the policemen posted at her house offered to accompany her. “I just walked out of the door and they could not care less. But I am not the one to be cowed down. I caught a maxi-cab and came here. Sonia needs fresh milk, she said.
Asanda appears calm and quiet, but only from outside. Beneath the surface, the panchayat supporters are simmering with rage. When The Tribune met a youth there and asked for directions to Rampal’s house, just to gauge the reaction, he spat and went his way. An elderly villager who saw this happen offered a warning. “Do not make such queries. They are after Sonia’s and Rampal’s blood. At the first opportunity, they will finish both off”, he said and shut the door.
But not everybody appeared that angry. Many others said the court orders brought a welcome relief after a week of tension and anarchy. But none of them would want the couple to return, not for now at least. “The court may have restrained the panchayat from imposing the dictat. But what will it do if the villagers boycott the family socially. That will not be any breach of the law. And this is a distinct possibility”, said a resident of the village.
Another indication of the threats to Sonia’s and Rampal’s lives can be seen in the answer to a simple query. The question was: Do you think there is a threat to their lives in the village? The answer: There are all kinds of people in every village; who knows?
Back in Rohtak, Rampal and his brother-in-law Kuldeep agreed with this assessment. “I am worried. How long will the four policemen stay at my house? I have to move out and trek the lonely furrow to my fields at odd hours. Who will protect me”, Rampal asked, looking a shade forlorn and addressing the sentence more to himself than anybody else present.
Then he muttered: “The least they (villagers) will do is boycott us. In that case too, we cannot live in Asanda. Somehow, we have to convince the panchayat to accept us back”. The ex-sarpanch of Sonia’s parental village Kiloi, Jasbir Hooda, nodded in agreement. “The court has given us a big relief. Now the panchayat has to be convinced to be magnanimous enough”, he said.
That is exactly what needs to be done. Somebody has to take up from where the court has left at the moment.
We have to be careful in differentiating problems that lead to horrible ends. Let me say at the outset that hardly any social action is worthy of death.
Now the cases where teenagers are eloping have many facets to them. These are not love marriages or anything sensible to speak of. In those cases they can’t even support themselves, let alone be responsible enough to make decisions about life. Our Vedas and common sense dictate that one must devote the first 25 years (first of 4 phases of life) to education and settlement in life. And then one should jump in family life. This nonsense of teenagers running around is totally ridiculous whose responsibility lies on parents as well. O’ yes, the parents are equally negligent in most cases. Don’t tell me that parents never get warning signals when their kids are running around. Those teenagers should be in schools to study. Parents must do a better job in educating and protecting their families.
The teenagers’ cases generally become worst nightmares for all parties involved. They are not ready for marriages, and they can’t make a living to support themselves. They simply fool around and make it known to the world by running away that they are morons who just wasted their future. Nobody needs to kill them physically. They just made their whole life a living hell. Indian system is no America or the Western world where it is easy to pick up the pieces and make it fine. Even in the Western world teenagers who run around face very hard lives. If they are grownups and ready to make a living, then they don’t need to run from anybody. They can simply live their independent life.
When a person is educated and settled, then he/she has all the luxuries to choose his/her life partner according to their preferences, and then no one should have a right to challenge their decisions simply based on some caste or any other personal criteria. After all, it is their happiness and life. This is my clear statement on this topic of marriages not based on castes.
Now, in the cases where these Khaps have gone nuts by imposing their preferences as to who can marry whom is totally barbarous. In the Hindu Marriage Act (whatever it is worth), in 1937 Arya Marriage Validation Act made it legal to have inter caste marriages. Thus, these Khap provoked killings are simply hate crimes. We are a degenerate society if we can’t put an end to this kind of practice where some groups’ wishes become God’s word.
Now the cases where teenagers are eloping have many facets to them. These are not love marriages or anything sensible to speak of. In those cases they can’t even support themselves, let alone be responsible enough to make decisions about life. Our Vedas and common sense dictate that one must devote the first 25 years (first of 4 phases of life) to education and settlement in life. And then one should jump in family life. This nonsense of teenagers running around is totally ridiculous whose responsibility lies on parents as well. O’ yes, the parents are equally negligent in most cases. Don’t tell me that parents never get warning signals when their kids are running around. Those teenagers should be in schools to study. Parents must do a better job in educating and protecting their families.
The teenagers’ cases generally become worst nightmares for all parties involved. They are not ready for marriages, and they can’t make a living to support themselves. They simply fool around and make it known to the world by running away that they are morons who just wasted their future. Nobody needs to kill them physically. They just made their whole life a living hell. Indian system is no America or the Western world where it is easy to pick up the pieces and make it fine. Even in the Western world teenagers who run around face very hard lives. If they are grownups and ready to make a living, then they don’t need to run from anybody. They can simply live their independent life.
When a person is educated and settled, then he/she has all the luxuries to choose his/her life partner according to their preferences, and then no one should have a right to challenge their decisions simply based on some caste or any other personal criteria. After all, it is their happiness and life. This is my clear statement on this topic of marriages not based on castes.
Now, in the cases where these Khaps have gone nuts by imposing their preferences as to who can marry whom is totally barbarous. In the Hindu Marriage Act (whatever it is worth), in 1937 Arya Marriage Validation Act made it legal to have inter caste marriages. Thus, these Khap provoked killings are simply hate crimes. We are a degenerate society if we can’t put an end to this kind of practice where some groups’ wishes become God’s word.
By the way, the Sonia case is loud and clear. They are married, they are grownups, they are not from same gotra, they are not from same village (lo and behold, they are both Jats even) and thus they are as bona fide a couple as any in India can be. The High Court has done a good job in its verdict. Anyone whosoever harms this couple should be made such a national example of hate crime that no one else will ever dare to do so.
Although, a lot has been said and voice is rightly common to strongly nullify the absurd Panchyayat-Khap order of Taliban type. This voice must be communicated to the Concerned Panchayat and villages in person or by other communication. That way we would be doing a bit for the cause and couple.
We see such events sporadically happening in our society but we become active one case comes and that too well advertised. People even do not express opinion and generate one amongst the community when something bad like this is done as known to outside world. A right lesson to such tekhedars can only be tought by punishing them by a public voice in a bgger panchayat organized by progressive thinking educated people.
Sad that it is all not being done by illiterates. Many of the speaking netas at the Panchayat seemed reasonably educated. It is not even their poor ignorance to the present world but it is their ill-designs to malign , harass and demoralize people with a local polical/finacial/feudal dominance. I think people must be re-educated about the gotras, khaps, their essence, flexibilities and how they must be dynamically revised to contemporary times so that such kind of ancient systems be seen progressively rahter than being misused by local self style lords who do not know how people develop relationships now-a-days, how people communicate, what is peronal life, to what extent one can even say word about others. When fact remains that we all take pride in our Gotras and we should but at the same time we must also see that conventions of inter-gotrs relationships/interactions that are thousands year old can not be rigidified even by an inch. If we wish to continue to have pride in our gotras and our structural organiztion and cultures we must do a study of all Gotras, re-document, classify the conventions and revise them in tune to the present time. This would mean we have to delete irrelevant traditions that now can not be sustained or justified due to several reasons.
It is not that the community did not do that. But it did not do that recently. But recently vested interests did not allow any body to dare to do that.
I suggest that Jatland must do that by forming a panel to make a Hard copy of Cmpendium of Gotras, Amendments made in the system during all thse hundreds of years, incorporate new amendments with the consent of Gotras/Khaps (minus conservative representatives) so that it is not misused and barbarically applied to innocent. It should have the liberal and futuristic mind set and must understand that now people catch feelings more frequently, understand science better and are guided by self good principles. Jat land should form a panel to look into it for good future and to make people refer to Such Obnoxious Panchayats when they try to do anything like this to make somebody's life a hell.
Even those who are hard liners they must be given a class that we did amended conventions silently and rightly:
1. Gotrs of Naani ceased to be considered in deciding matrimonials.( because now we can not justify now-a-days, gone are the days when all relations used to be in within less than 100 KM).
2. In some areas there used to be a so called kind of exchange marriages that are gone now as now we know the world.
3. Marriages were settled without the consent of boy and girl.
4. Women used to visit no relatives house/village except father and Husband and used to know the families of other relatives by heresay only (or could visit some for a few moments on the sad demise of some member -Mookan- but not in any marriage).
5 Girls and Ladies were not going in Baarat.
etc. etc. etc.
Brotherhood of Gotras: These must be dropped now. They originated as a friendship or co-lineage of two persons or by some later brotherly interaction (Moo-bole) between two families at some time. It dates back to several hundred years unaware of its consequences of the day. There is no science of genetics that would allow people to practice it.
Village Gotra Conflicts: The notion of this type as in some cases harmed the community must be scrapped. It is a legacy of Purdah System. Now people live at several places and are not limited to villages to know and say Kon Kiska Kya Lagta hai. We should not measure inter-personal relation is tiny village perspectives and should not enforce them according to rigid rod of a village Gotra.
and so on.
Finally, we should make a small list of the present practice that the so called Panch are following violating their medieval Gotra/village conventions and ask them why they should not be punished for that for the 'modern things they do and say in their own house' and rather force them to go much older in human history and live like "Stone Age".
I apppologise if my points are derogatroy/unappeaing to someone. Regards; Rajendner Sangwan
We see such events sporadically happening in our society but we become active one case comes and that too well advertised. People even do not express opinion and generate one amongst the community when something bad like this is done as known to outside world. A right lesson to such tekhedars can only be tought by punishing them by a public voice in a bgger panchayat organized by progressive thinking educated people.
Sad that it is all not being done by illiterates. Many of the speaking netas at the Panchayat seemed reasonably educated. It is not even their poor ignorance to the present world but it is their ill-designs to malign , harass and demoralize people with a local polical/finacial/feudal dominance. I think people must be re-educated about the gotras, khaps, their essence, flexibilities and how they must be dynamically revised to contemporary times so that such kind of ancient systems be seen progressively rahter than being misused by local self style lords who do not know how people develop relationships now-a-days, how people communicate, what is peronal life, to what extent one can even say word about others. When fact remains that we all take pride in our Gotras and we should but at the same time we must also see that conventions of inter-gotrs relationships/interactions that are thousands year old can not be rigidified even by an inch. If we wish to continue to have pride in our gotras and our structural organiztion and cultures we must do a study of all Gotras, re-document, classify the conventions and revise them in tune to the present time. This would mean we have to delete irrelevant traditions that now can not be sustained or justified due to several reasons.
It is not that the community did not do that. But it did not do that recently. But recently vested interests did not allow any body to dare to do that.
I suggest that Jatland must do that by forming a panel to make a Hard copy of Cmpendium of Gotras, Amendments made in the system during all thse hundreds of years, incorporate new amendments with the consent of Gotras/Khaps (minus conservative representatives) so that it is not misused and barbarically applied to innocent. It should have the liberal and futuristic mind set and must understand that now people catch feelings more frequently, understand science better and are guided by self good principles. Jat land should form a panel to look into it for good future and to make people refer to Such Obnoxious Panchayats when they try to do anything like this to make somebody's life a hell.
Even those who are hard liners they must be given a class that we did amended conventions silently and rightly:
1. Gotrs of Naani ceased to be considered in deciding matrimonials.( because now we can not justify now-a-days, gone are the days when all relations used to be in within less than 100 KM).
2. In some areas there used to be a so called kind of exchange marriages that are gone now as now we know the world.
3. Marriages were settled without the consent of boy and girl.
4. Women used to visit no relatives house/village except father and Husband and used to know the families of other relatives by heresay only (or could visit some for a few moments on the sad demise of some member -Mookan- but not in any marriage).
5 Girls and Ladies were not going in Baarat.
etc. etc. etc.
Brotherhood of Gotras: These must be dropped now. They originated as a friendship or co-lineage of two persons or by some later brotherly interaction (Moo-bole) between two families at some time. It dates back to several hundred years unaware of its consequences of the day. There is no science of genetics that would allow people to practice it.
Village Gotra Conflicts: The notion of this type as in some cases harmed the community must be scrapped. It is a legacy of Purdah System. Now people live at several places and are not limited to villages to know and say Kon Kiska Kya Lagta hai. We should not measure inter-personal relation is tiny village perspectives and should not enforce them according to rigid rod of a village Gotra.
and so on.
Finally, we should make a small list of the present practice that the so called Panch are following violating their medieval Gotra/village conventions and ask them why they should not be punished for that for the 'modern things they do and say in their own house' and rather force them to go much older in human history and live like "Stone Age".
I apppologise if my points are derogatroy/unappeaing to someone. Regards; Rajendner Sangwan
Sonia case: 30 to be booked
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, October 17
Preparations are on to book organisers of the two khap panchayats organised at Asanda village of Jhajjar district on the Sonia issue, it is learnt.
According to reliable sources, the police has identified 30 persons who had organised the panchayat on Sunday last, which directed Sonia and her husband Rampal to seek divorce and treat each other as brother and sister.
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, October 17
Preparations are on to book organisers of the two khap panchayats organised at Asanda village of Jhajjar district on the Sonia issue, it is learnt.
According to reliable sources, the police has identified 30 persons who had organised the panchayat on Sunday last, which directed Sonia and her husband Rampal to seek divorce and treat each other as brother and sister.
S
sukhbirsingh
Guest
Only Way to help this Family
well ! You are absolutely right, this is totally unjustifiable,but how can we help this couple at this moment, in my opinion only solution to this proble at this moment of time is relocation of this family to some city, by providing some financial assistance. We can coolect some fund through this website. i think by this way , we can only help this family. any member can take this charge. well i can give 5000 from my fellowship. Any active member can take this charge.
well ! You are absolutely right, this is totally unjustifiable,but how can we help this couple at this moment, in my opinion only solution to this proble at this moment of time is relocation of this family to some city, by providing some financial assistance. We can coolect some fund through this website. i think by this way , we can only help this family. any member can take this charge. well i can give 5000 from my fellowship. Any active member can take this charge.
U
uday
Guest
Only Way to help this Family
Dr. sahib,
Ram..Ram..
We duly respect your sentiments.
Financial assistance could be one of a good motive but IT NEED TO BE CAREFULLY DECIDED \CHOSEN before you donate something in such a sensitive case...
Otherwise vohi baat ho jayegi...Writer Sudarshan ki story wali ... Haar ki Jeet...no one in this world will have faith in others during real needy time.
First do they really need that?
If No ..fine..
If yes.. then what will be the right way ?
As of now everything is hanging upon court verdict, so let's wait and respect court decision.
Hope u will take my reply in positive spirit.
Stay Tuned
Uday
Dr. sahib,
Ram..Ram..
We duly respect your sentiments.
Financial assistance could be one of a good motive but IT NEED TO BE CAREFULLY DECIDED \CHOSEN before you donate something in such a sensitive case...
Otherwise vohi baat ho jayegi...Writer Sudarshan ki story wali ... Haar ki Jeet...no one in this world will have faith in others during real needy time.
First do they really need that?
If No ..fine..
If yes.. then what will be the right way ?
As of now everything is hanging upon court verdict, so let's wait and respect court decision.
Hope u will take my reply in positive spirit.
Stay Tuned
Uday
Sukhbirnain (Oct 18, 2004 09:56 a.m.):
well ! You are absolutely right, this is totally unjustifiable,but how can we help this couple at this moment, in my opinion only solution to this proble at this moment of time is relocation of this family to some city, by providing some financial assistance. We can coolect some fund through this website. i think by this way , we can only help this family. any member can take this charge. well i can give 5000 from my fellowship. Any active member can take this charge.
NCW drops plan to probe Sonia case
Raman Mohan
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, October 18
The visit of a team of the National Commission for Women to Asanda village, scheduled for today to probe the Sonia episode, was cancelled.
The commission had on Saturday served summons on nine persons whose names had figured as organisers of the khap panchayat held on October 10 at Asanda. They were: Dharam Singh, who headed the panchayat, Ishwar Rathi, Rajinder, Jagbir Subedar, Dilbagh, Kanshi Ram, Mohinder, Chitre Kharar, and Naresh, ex-sarpanch of Kharar village.
Official sources said here that the NCW team’s visit was cancelled because the commission authorities felt that following the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s orders in the case a simultaneous probe by the commission was not necessary.
However, a large number of villagers gathered on the school premises at Asanda this morning, expecting the team to arrive there. The crowd dispersed after it was informed that the visit had been cancelled.
The team was to probe the developments leading to the panchayat dictate to Sonia and her husband Rampal to dissolve their marriage and treat each other as brother and sister because it considered a marriage between Hooda and Rathi gotras as socially unacceptable. Sonia is three months pregnant and had got married to Rampal 18 months ago.
Meanwhile, three policemen, including an assistant sub inspector of the police, have been posted at the gynaecology ward of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences here where Sonia has been undergoing treatment for a threatened abortion. The police team arrived here last evening following a news report in yesterday’s issue of The Tribune stating that Sonia and Rampal had not been provided security despite court orders.
On the other hand, the police today questioned more than 10 residents of Baproda village in connection with the panchayat. They included Rati Ram, Hari Kishen, Ram Kishen, Raj Kishen and Sukhbir. This was done in the light of the court orders.
Doctors attending on Sonia at the PGIMS here said she was responding to treatment but would need hospitalisation for at least three more days. She underwent some tests today and the reports were expected to be received tomorrow.
Meanwhile, two signature campaigns have been launched in the 14 villages around Asanda dominated by Rathis. While one campaign favours Sonia and describes the panchayat as a mistake that hurt the standing of the gotra in the area, the other is aimed at ensuring unity among the Rathis in these 14 villages so that in future there was no difference of opinion among community leaders.
Raman Mohan
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, October 18
The visit of a team of the National Commission for Women to Asanda village, scheduled for today to probe the Sonia episode, was cancelled.
The commission had on Saturday served summons on nine persons whose names had figured as organisers of the khap panchayat held on October 10 at Asanda. They were: Dharam Singh, who headed the panchayat, Ishwar Rathi, Rajinder, Jagbir Subedar, Dilbagh, Kanshi Ram, Mohinder, Chitre Kharar, and Naresh, ex-sarpanch of Kharar village.
Official sources said here that the NCW team’s visit was cancelled because the commission authorities felt that following the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s orders in the case a simultaneous probe by the commission was not necessary.
However, a large number of villagers gathered on the school premises at Asanda this morning, expecting the team to arrive there. The crowd dispersed after it was informed that the visit had been cancelled.
The team was to probe the developments leading to the panchayat dictate to Sonia and her husband Rampal to dissolve their marriage and treat each other as brother and sister because it considered a marriage between Hooda and Rathi gotras as socially unacceptable. Sonia is three months pregnant and had got married to Rampal 18 months ago.
Meanwhile, three policemen, including an assistant sub inspector of the police, have been posted at the gynaecology ward of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences here where Sonia has been undergoing treatment for a threatened abortion. The police team arrived here last evening following a news report in yesterday’s issue of The Tribune stating that Sonia and Rampal had not been provided security despite court orders.
On the other hand, the police today questioned more than 10 residents of Baproda village in connection with the panchayat. They included Rati Ram, Hari Kishen, Ram Kishen, Raj Kishen and Sukhbir. This was done in the light of the court orders.
Doctors attending on Sonia at the PGIMS here said she was responding to treatment but would need hospitalisation for at least three more days. She underwent some tests today and the reports were expected to be received tomorrow.
Meanwhile, two signature campaigns have been launched in the 14 villages around Asanda dominated by Rathis. While one campaign favours Sonia and describes the panchayat as a mistake that hurt the standing of the gotra in the area, the other is aimed at ensuring unity among the Rathis in these 14 villages so that in future there was no difference of opinion among community leaders.
Some facts about the case, as far as I gathered from one of the Zee News:
- The boy is Dahiya, the girl is Rathee
- Both Dahiyas and Rathees live in Asanda village. It is not that marriages between Dahiyas and Rathees are not acceptable, it is just that when two gotras are found in the same village they don't normally marry each other.
- The boys mother and girls grandmother are of the same gotra.
- The girls mother and boys grandmother are of the same gotra.
Even if these facts are true, I totally condemn the Panchayat's decision. Most people now ignore grandmother's gotra. So that is a non-issue now.
The only issue is people of same gotra living in the same village. Now this should be totally voluntary. People of all kinds live in the cities. Does that mean that they are all brothers and sisters.
In fact, the issue of matching gotras should be totally voluntary. As far as I know, it doesn't have any legal basis. Does it?
Also, if you just look at one generation ahead (another 25 years) the whole issue of cast and gotra will go away anyways. So why punish the current generation for something which is fast disapearing anyway. The issue has already disapeared in the cities. The villages will definitly follow in next generation.
-ajmer
- The boy is Dahiya, the girl is Rathee
- Both Dahiyas and Rathees live in Asanda village. It is not that marriages between Dahiyas and Rathees are not acceptable, it is just that when two gotras are found in the same village they don't normally marry each other.
- The boys mother and girls grandmother are of the same gotra.
- The girls mother and boys grandmother are of the same gotra.
Even if these facts are true, I totally condemn the Panchayat's decision. Most people now ignore grandmother's gotra. So that is a non-issue now.
The only issue is people of same gotra living in the same village. Now this should be totally voluntary. People of all kinds live in the cities. Does that mean that they are all brothers and sisters.
In fact, the issue of matching gotras should be totally voluntary. As far as I know, it doesn't have any legal basis. Does it?
Also, if you just look at one generation ahead (another 25 years) the whole issue of cast and gotra will go away anyways. So why punish the current generation for something which is fast disapearing anyway. The issue has already disapeared in the cities. The villages will definitly follow in next generation.
-ajmer
HISTORICITY OF KHAP PANCHAYATS
HARSH VERMA IN NEW DELHI
It is well known that ancient India had numerous associations and congregations. But hardly any has stood the test of time and withered away over the centuries. It would therefore come as a surprise to many Indians that one such meeting still continues and that too in the heartland of North India which has been exposed the maximum to numerous invasions.
This meeting is the Sarvakhap Panchayat and its founder was actually no other than Harshavardhana the Great who ruled north India in the 7th century AD. Harshavardhana came to the throne at the tender age of 15 following the assassination of his elder brother, Rajyavardhana. At that time he had neither a proper army nor capable friends. On the advice of his mother Yashomati, Harsha contacted the leaders of the Kshatriya community and requested every branch or Khap to provide fighters. As a result of his efforts, Harsha was able to gather an army of thirty thousand soldiers as well as an army of ten thousand woman warriors to free his sister Rajyashri. With the help of the army, Harsha liberated Kanauj which had been occupied by Sasanka of Bengal who had killed Harsha’s brother-in-law Devavarman and imprisoned Rajyashri Rajyashri was rescued by a Buddhist monk who saved her from committing suicide. But Harsha used the army to conquer the whole of north India and gave political unity to the country.
The Sarva Khap Panchayat was founded in Allahabad in 642 AD when Harsha had become a mighty king and came in vogue probably during the great assemblies organised by Harsha. It was decided that the Panchayat would have a flag with the emblem of the rising sun in a background of saffron. An institution was now born.
The Panchayat came into prominence during the Delhi Sultanate. A massive meeting had been organised in 1197 AD at Hissar under the leadership of Raja Bhimdeva. A terrible situation had occurred with the failure of crops. The Sultanate demanded half of the produce as well as Jaziya and imposed a ban on the Panchayat. The royal army under the leadership of Qutub-ud-din Aibak attacked the Panchayat but the battle remained inconclusive and a truce was declared between the Sultan and the Panchayat. Seeing the might of the Sultanate, the panchayat made some changes in its organisation. At a meeting organised under the leadership of Chaudhary Haripal Rana the next year it was decided to form a Seva Sangh. The following measures were approved and implemented:
1. Marriages should be solemnised with minimum expenditure and the Baraat should be armed.
2. Young men should become soldiers.
3. Cattle and crops should be protected.
4. Soldiers should get nutritous food and every village should have its own Akhada where martial training would be provided.
5. The village Panchayat must assume the responsibility for protecting all villagers.
6. The blacksmiths should provide weapons to the Panchayat which in turn would meet their needs.
7. The village Panchayat should take the responsibility of looking after the orphans.
Another meeting was held in 1286 AD at Shikarpur under the leadership of Chaudhary Mastpal. A census was taken at the meeting which showed that there were 60,000 Jats, 25,000 Ahirs, 40,000 Gujjars, 11,000 Raves, 38,000 Rajputs and 5000 Sainis present. The following resolutions were passed:
1. Young men of every caste should be ready to defend their community and sacrifice their lives, if need be.
2. A minimum force of 25,000 armed men should always be ready.
3. All men between 18-40 would fight.
4. No interference would be permitted in the marriages.
5. Jaziya would not be given.
6. Panchayats would take decisions independently.
7. The royal demand of supplying half of the produce would not be obeyed every year.
Incidentally even the Muslims participated in the meeting and agreed to the proposal of not providing half of the produce.
The Panchayat was held on a massive scale. Thousands of volunteers maintained law and order. Every community supplied food and materials. The organisation of the panchayat was such that at every 20 steps, a literate individual was placed. The speech made by a speaker was repeated by such volunteers turn by turn till the entire assembly heard the speech.
The Panchayat became important in the reign of Raziya Sultana when it helped her to regain the throne of Delhi. However the Panchayat suffered heavily under the Tughlaqs and the Khiljis. Muhammad Bin Tughlaq actually burned alive 250 leaders of the Panchayat. The Panchayat recovered importance in the reign of the Sayyid and the Lodi sultans of Delhi and harassed Timur’s army a lot. The Panchayat aided Rana Sanga in the battle of Sikri and even challenged the might of Aurangzeb.
A new vigour came in during the rule of the East India Company. In 1856, a massive meeting was held which was attended by Hindus as well as Muslims. It was presided by a blind Hindu saint Guru Virjananda and Miya Mahmudan Shah. Virjananda stated that the life of a servant was worse than the life of a dog and appealed to people to fight against British rule. The Panchayat whole-heartedly participated in the revolt of 1857. However the failure of the revolt and the brutality of the British in the aftermath of the revolt led to the dissolution of the Panchayat till it was revived by Dayanand Saraswati. But by this time only 18 Khaps remained in existence since the rest had been dissolved.
Presently the Panchayat is being maintained by Karmpal Swami who is working to effect reforms in the social milleu of the villages. The Panchayat continues though it remains a shadow of the glory of its ancient past.
NRIworld News Service
WHY AND HOW THESE KHAP PANCHAYATS HAVE DEGENERATED TO THE PRESENT LOW LEVEL IS A QUESTION TO BE DEBATED.
(to be continued...)
R.S. DAHIYA
HARSH VERMA IN NEW DELHI
It is well known that ancient India had numerous associations and congregations. But hardly any has stood the test of time and withered away over the centuries. It would therefore come as a surprise to many Indians that one such meeting still continues and that too in the heartland of North India which has been exposed the maximum to numerous invasions.
This meeting is the Sarvakhap Panchayat and its founder was actually no other than Harshavardhana the Great who ruled north India in the 7th century AD. Harshavardhana came to the throne at the tender age of 15 following the assassination of his elder brother, Rajyavardhana. At that time he had neither a proper army nor capable friends. On the advice of his mother Yashomati, Harsha contacted the leaders of the Kshatriya community and requested every branch or Khap to provide fighters. As a result of his efforts, Harsha was able to gather an army of thirty thousand soldiers as well as an army of ten thousand woman warriors to free his sister Rajyashri. With the help of the army, Harsha liberated Kanauj which had been occupied by Sasanka of Bengal who had killed Harsha’s brother-in-law Devavarman and imprisoned Rajyashri Rajyashri was rescued by a Buddhist monk who saved her from committing suicide. But Harsha used the army to conquer the whole of north India and gave political unity to the country.
The Sarva Khap Panchayat was founded in Allahabad in 642 AD when Harsha had become a mighty king and came in vogue probably during the great assemblies organised by Harsha. It was decided that the Panchayat would have a flag with the emblem of the rising sun in a background of saffron. An institution was now born.
The Panchayat came into prominence during the Delhi Sultanate. A massive meeting had been organised in 1197 AD at Hissar under the leadership of Raja Bhimdeva. A terrible situation had occurred with the failure of crops. The Sultanate demanded half of the produce as well as Jaziya and imposed a ban on the Panchayat. The royal army under the leadership of Qutub-ud-din Aibak attacked the Panchayat but the battle remained inconclusive and a truce was declared between the Sultan and the Panchayat. Seeing the might of the Sultanate, the panchayat made some changes in its organisation. At a meeting organised under the leadership of Chaudhary Haripal Rana the next year it was decided to form a Seva Sangh. The following measures were approved and implemented:
1. Marriages should be solemnised with minimum expenditure and the Baraat should be armed.
2. Young men should become soldiers.
3. Cattle and crops should be protected.
4. Soldiers should get nutritous food and every village should have its own Akhada where martial training would be provided.
5. The village Panchayat must assume the responsibility for protecting all villagers.
6. The blacksmiths should provide weapons to the Panchayat which in turn would meet their needs.
7. The village Panchayat should take the responsibility of looking after the orphans.
Another meeting was held in 1286 AD at Shikarpur under the leadership of Chaudhary Mastpal. A census was taken at the meeting which showed that there were 60,000 Jats, 25,000 Ahirs, 40,000 Gujjars, 11,000 Raves, 38,000 Rajputs and 5000 Sainis present. The following resolutions were passed:
1. Young men of every caste should be ready to defend their community and sacrifice their lives, if need be.
2. A minimum force of 25,000 armed men should always be ready.
3. All men between 18-40 would fight.
4. No interference would be permitted in the marriages.
5. Jaziya would not be given.
6. Panchayats would take decisions independently.
7. The royal demand of supplying half of the produce would not be obeyed every year.
Incidentally even the Muslims participated in the meeting and agreed to the proposal of not providing half of the produce.
The Panchayat was held on a massive scale. Thousands of volunteers maintained law and order. Every community supplied food and materials. The organisation of the panchayat was such that at every 20 steps, a literate individual was placed. The speech made by a speaker was repeated by such volunteers turn by turn till the entire assembly heard the speech.
The Panchayat became important in the reign of Raziya Sultana when it helped her to regain the throne of Delhi. However the Panchayat suffered heavily under the Tughlaqs and the Khiljis. Muhammad Bin Tughlaq actually burned alive 250 leaders of the Panchayat. The Panchayat recovered importance in the reign of the Sayyid and the Lodi sultans of Delhi and harassed Timur’s army a lot. The Panchayat aided Rana Sanga in the battle of Sikri and even challenged the might of Aurangzeb.
A new vigour came in during the rule of the East India Company. In 1856, a massive meeting was held which was attended by Hindus as well as Muslims. It was presided by a blind Hindu saint Guru Virjananda and Miya Mahmudan Shah. Virjananda stated that the life of a servant was worse than the life of a dog and appealed to people to fight against British rule. The Panchayat whole-heartedly participated in the revolt of 1857. However the failure of the revolt and the brutality of the British in the aftermath of the revolt led to the dissolution of the Panchayat till it was revived by Dayanand Saraswati. But by this time only 18 Khaps remained in existence since the rest had been dissolved.
Presently the Panchayat is being maintained by Karmpal Swami who is working to effect reforms in the social milleu of the villages. The Panchayat continues though it remains a shadow of the glory of its ancient past.
NRIworld News Service
WHY AND HOW THESE KHAP PANCHAYATS HAVE DEGENERATED TO THE PRESENT LOW LEVEL IS A QUESTION TO BE DEBATED.
(to be continued...)
R.S. DAHIYA
C
chhoraharyanada
Guest
latest kya hai?
RAM RAM.
Whats the latest in this sicko scenario?
RAM RAM.
Whats the latest in this sicko scenario?
U
uday
Guest
issue resolved.
Glad to update that finally this issue is resolved.
Glad to update that finally this issue is resolved.
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