The
verdict in the Arushi-Hemraj double murder case attracted its own share
of controversies. Rajesh and Nupur Talwar were convicted primarily on
the basis of the "last seen theory” and the investigating agencies say
the crime was committed in a fit of rage, when the Talwar couple found
their 14 year old daughter, Arushi Talwar in a compromising position
with their house-help Hemraj.
Although no strong evidence of this
theory has been made public, as of now, let us assume that this is the
truth. Under such situations, this conviction raises another set of
questions on the way we raise out girl sand the perception we have of
their individuality.
Even if Arushi, a 14 year old teenager, was
found physically close to Hemraj, was "killing” her the only option? Why
was it so tough for the Talwar couple to consider the situation at hand
as an act of immaturity on the part of the teenager and hence, forgive
and to explain her? And a very important question:
"Had the
Talwar couple reacted in the same fashion if instead of Arushi and
Hemraj, it was their ‘son’ who was found in a compromising position with
a female house-help?”
The most probable answer to the above question is
a "NO”. In that case, most likely, Rajesh Talwar would have supported
and tried to save his son, while putting the entire blame on the female
involved.
Why this discrimination? Just because Arushi was a
girl, or rather, the "honour” of the family! What kind of "honour” is
it? The one that isolates a teenager from the human tendency to learn
from mistakes! And why, because of her gender?
At the time of the
crime, Arushi was 14 years old, a teenager at the onset of her puberty
and a girl at a sensitive emotional stage. She was as vulnerable to
hormonal changes as boys her age. She was also equally vulnerable to
making mistakes in the flow of peer pressure or emotional and sexual
excitement. Something that is very common with "boys and girls” of that
age.
What was needed was an open communication between Arushi and
her parents, instead she was "killed” by her own parents, because being
a girl, she was probably considered the "possession” of her father and
the "honour” of the family, and in the opinion of her family, she
"disgraced” them.
At the ground level, looking at various
aspects, in my opinion, this is also a form of "honour killing”. Arushi
was found close to Hemraj, but did anyone ever try to probe the reason
for it? Maybe she was a lonely teenager whose doctor parents never had
time to have a "talk” with her. The case also brings up the deadly
consequences of lack of communication between parents and children,
especially teenagers.
And, as I conclude, I would again like to
emphasize on the "Honour” aspect. Traditionally, Women/Girls have been
considered the honour of the family, which should ideally be a matter of
pride, but with such incidents, being the "honour of the family” is now
maybe a matter of burden. Do we, as girls and women of this country,
desire to have "such kind” of honour? The one that deprives us from
learning from our mistakes and might eventually cost us our lives!
RUPALI TYAGI,
MMS, Indiain Institute of Business Management,
Navi Mumbai.
rupali.tyagi15@gmail.com