Stand alone law needed for 'honour killing' cases: Brinda

Demanding a "stand alone" law to tackle 'honour killings', senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat today termed the government's decision to constitute a GoM to suggest changes in the law to tackle such incidents as a "worst example of vote bank politics" practised by the UPA.

Demanding a "stand alone" law to tackle 'honour killings', senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat today termed the government's decision to constitute a GoM to suggest changes in the law to tackle such incidents as a "worst example of vote bank politics" practised by the UPA.

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Her comments came after a visit to two villages here after a panchayat ordered that all girls belonging to Dalit communities would be "picked up" from their homes if Priyanka, a Brahmin girl who had eloped with Sanjay, a Dalit boy, did not return home immediately.

"This is unfortunate. The government should have come out with a comprehensive law to deal with the issue. They have now come up with a GoM. The GoI (Government of India) has become GoM. They say they will consult states. They don't have a draft and what are they going to consult," she told PTI.

"This is the worst example of vote bank politics of UPA," she alleged.

On her visit to the houses of Sanjay and Priyanka along with other women leaders, she said it appeared that the girl's family was not being aggressive against the boy's family but other villagers were.

"I went there to plead to them to allow the couple to lead a normal life. They were not that aggressive. It is the other villagers who are," she said.

She said Sanjay's father had to mortgage his land for Rs 1.5 lakh to try and trace the couple.

"He is facing pressure from his village as well as the girl's village. Locals of the Dalit village are pressurising him to locate the couple," she said.

Villagers of the Dalit hamlet apprehend that the locals from Priyanka's village will carry out the threat that they will take away their women if Priyanka does not go back to her home, she said.