Two young lovers from different castes plunge Indian villiage into the Middle Ages

[snagglepuss]

snip

When a couple of Pabnawa college kids in love ran off and got married earlier this month, it thrust the village, about three hours’ drive north of Delhi, back to the Middle Ages, prompting a riot, a threat of mass rape and now this standoff.

The newlyweds, Meena Kumari and Surya Kant Pal, are living in a police shelter under 24-hour guard, because people on both sides of the conflict have vowed to kill them.


snip


When Ms. Kumari’s family realized she was missing, men from her caste summoned Mr. Pal’s bewildered family and demanded that they “give back the girl.” They said they had no idea what girl, and their own son was missing. That night Ror men went into the Dalit quarter and, police say, threatened to rape and abduct all the Dalit women if Ms. Kumari was not brought home the next day, prompting hundreds of women and children to flee.

The next night, an estimated 400 Ror men descended in a mob the police couldn’t or wouldn’t stop. The men allegedly carried pistols and knives, disabled the electrical connection for the neighbourhood and then smashed doors, looted shops and homes, ripped water tanks off roofs and beat people up.



http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/when-a-modern-indian-marriage-clashes-with-ancient-rules/article11602559/

[Arugula Latte]

1. What. The. F@#$?

Another horrific episode in India. What is going on?

[laundry_queen]

4. Sadly, this is typical of the caste system

A guy I know came to Canada because there was a lot of trouble in his village because his wife was of a different caste. He didn't say exactly what the 'trouble' was, but her parents were PISSED. Another Indian friend of mine said that while in the larger cities in India are progressing past the whole caste system, most outlying areas are still pretty backwards. I think you're just hearing about it more because of the recent rapes and resulting media coverage.

[RKP5637]

2. Humans: A really F'ed up species! n/t

[get the red out]

6. Absolutely

A lot of these stories make me wonder if our species should continue on.

[tblue]

3. A riot? They wanna rape her?

That is insane!!! Tell me, please that's against the law. I hope the couple will be able to leave the state. Bring them here to California. They'd be most welcome. Also, there's a large Indian population here, and most have plenty resources. I wish I had the money. I'd go rescue that couple myself.

[tblue37]

5. They want to rape ALL the women! From the article:

"That night Ror men went into the Dalit quarter and, police say, threatened to rape and abduct all the Dalit women if Ms. Kumari was not brought home the next day, prompting hundreds of women and children to flee."

[Recursion]

9. Of course it's against the law. For all the good that does.

They don't even have any particular personal animus against the women they want to rape; they want to do that to shame the Dalit men.

India is a different world.

[JI7]

7. shouldn't they arrest people who threaten to rape and kill others ?

bunch of fucking backward ignorant thugs.

[Recursion]

8. All too real

I'll be back in Mumbai in a few months. Sigh.