Friday, July 24, 2009

Panchayati Araj!

Mahatma perceived panchayati raj as an attempt towards village self-governance and party-less democracy and the 73rd amendment to the constitution in the year 1992 laid down the structure.

Over the years, like religion, panchayati system too fell for poli-tics and corruption whose main agenda became mobilization of votes by tightening its grip on the rural folks. In off-season, the system is used as an instrument to administer personal vendetta in inter caste-marriage; punishment ranging from a strip parade of women, beating and graduating to honor killing. And the state machinery happens to be a mute spectator.

Around july 22, ved pal who had gone to fetch his newly wed wife from her village armed with court’s order and police protection force was lynched under the order’s of the panchayat. The panchayat had disapproved the relationship since it was of the opinion that the bride and groom belonged to the same gothra. Now gothra here was too liberally interpreted; the bride and the groom belonged to two villages which had brotherly relations.

The young man who, backed by court’s order and police force, had gone to meet his wife instead met his death. The police as usual ended up saying, “we are trying to nab the accused and have booked the case”.

Post-killing, the girl has surfaced and given statement that she was forced to elope, drugged and coerced into marriage and that she has already filed divorce case.

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