Karnataka Congress to Introduce Bill Against Honour Killings

The Karnataka Congress government plans to present the “Iva Nammava Iva Nammava (He is ours, he is ours)” Bill in the Assembly to address issues related to “honour killings” and violence stemming from objections to inter-caste or inter-community marriages. The decision to introduce this bill follows a disturbing incident where a pregnant woman, Manya Patil, was brutally killed by her father and relatives in Hubballi for marrying someone from the Scheduled Caste community.
The proposed legislation aims to protect the right of consenting adults to marry without coercion from family or community, with severe penalties, including a minimum five-year imprisonment for offenders. State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil will present the Bill in the Legislative Assembly.
Named after a 12th-century Kannada vachana by social reformer Basavanna, the bill emphasizes equality and denounces discrimination. It includes provisions for 24-hour helplines and safe houses for couples facing threats from their families or communities. The legislation defines “honour crimes” broadly, encompassing physical harm, forced marriage or divorce, social ostracism, and even performing death rituals for living couples.
The bill categorizes offenses as cognizable and non-bailable, with stringent penalties, including life imprisonment for certain violent acts. It aims to empower individuals, especially those in inter-caste, inter-community, or inter-religious marriages, to freely choose their partners without fear of violence.
In a tragic incident in December 2025, Manya Patil, a Lingayat, was murdered in Hubballi taluk for marrying a Dalit. The police have arrested her father and two others in connection with the case. Manya and Vivekananda, the Dalit man she married, had known each other since their village days, fell in love during their studies, and got married in June 2025.
Despite initial attempts at reconciliation by the police, tensions between the families escalated, leading to the fatal attack on Manya. The legislation seeks to prevent such tragic outcomes and provide a legal framework to safeguard individuals in similar situations.