The recent incidents of love birds being lynched and hecked to death in the name of honour are not only despicable but call for the most stringent punishment under the law. The cases are reported surprisingly from the modern states like Harayan and Punjab not to talk of any other place. Most intriguing is the complicity of the Panchayats(Village bodies) and the kith and kin of the lovers.

Every person is entitled to the protection of the law and the Constitution and the States reserves to itself the sole right to try offences and decree punishments. If a young man or woman flouts tradition and has an unapproved relationship, no doubt, deeply conservative villagers may feel offended – but they have no right whatsoever to inflict any sort of bodily harm on the “transgressors”.

Panchayats are integral and indispensable to the political process of the states. Far from confronting the Panchayats, every political party bends over backwards to woo them. The Panchayats’ power to deliver votes is indubitable and no politician would dare to fall foul of them.

Infanticide, child marriage, dowry harassment and sati are a part of our “culture”. For educated and enlightened Indians, these are bits of cultural baggage that the country could do without. But it must be borne in mind that India’s educated citizens are in a minority. We have allowed 61 years to pass without adding to the percentage of educated Indians – and now we are distraught by “barbarisms” … barbarisms in remote villages, barbarisms in gang-infested urban slums, barbarisms in state assemblies, barbarisms at the hands of private armies and barbarisms even in lunatic asylums!

In a democracy, the majority rules. Over these 61 years, what kind of majority has independent India created for itself? Its high time we did something to rein in and tame the errant Panchayats and put their ’social audit’ to legal scrutiny and trial by courts to ensure a more responsible, sensible and accountable social order.

In a country of Sufis and Saints who said, “Ishq na poochhey deen-dharam noo, Ishq na poochey zataan—Love doesn’t care for religions or castes,” Why do we still call ourselves progressive if we were not to tolerate such sublime bondages.