Whose honor is it?

Every few days the newspapers carry articles on yet another episode of honor killing. Honor killings are termed so as they are a result of the killer's false notion of dishonor due to the victim's life decisions. Generally the killer is a family member or member of the community to which the victim belonged. The murder is a result of the victim marrying or eloping with a person of different caste or religion, working or making life choices that are contrary to the established traditional norms. The killer feels that the victim's actions had brought dishonor to the family or community. The Supreme Court has time and again observed that there is nothing honorable about honor killings, rather they are brutal, barbaric premeditated murders committed by individuals with bigoted minds.
Honor killings are brutal murders committed because of bigoted notions of honor and pride based upon controlling the lives of the members of family or community. They are an attempt to preserve the fallen pillars of patriarchy. Inability to accept a person's life choices, their right to choose their lifestyle or life partner is the reason behind honor killings, making parents or siblings to turn into beasts. They are a result of a false notion that ego is greater than an innocent life.
The victim has not smeared anybody's honor, victims murder is what dishonors the society. The murder is not honorable, it shows the primitive thinking of the killer. Honor killings need to be punished strictly as they are prevalent in almost all sections of society and are often ordered by groups like khap panchayats. Also these are violative of a person's right to choice. Honor killings need to be spoken against of, discussed, debated and ended. The primitive notions of honor based on controlling the lives of family and community members need to be defeated. It's time that individuals get a right to live their life on their own terms instead of the terms dictated by the community.