Patriarchal Moral Policing, Communalization and Politicization of Love and Marriege

Communalism operates and sustains through patriarchy and use of violence. Various Right Wing Organizations are not only attempting to polarize society along the religious lines at the public / political level, but also trying to control the personal and everyday realm. Moral policing and organized violence against couples in the public places, on the eve of Valentines’ Day, instigation of family members against imminent marriage of couples of different faith are such routine form of violence. Any deviation to the self defined morality and appropriate behavior of women is sought to be punished in the name of preservation of Hindu culture or Hindu society. Besides, organized campaign like love jihad is not only communalizing love and marriages through propagating suspicion and hatred among different religious communities but also seriously challenging the rights of individuals, particularly the freedom of woman to assert her sexuality and choice in those matters.

Keywords:
Moral Policing, Communalization, Politicization