Mahadeep Singh Jamwal
Relationships are one of the most valuable commitments of human life. To live and stay happy, we need to get connected with the people around us. To love and to be loved is the best feeling in the world. The feeling of this love and the connection between two people is what we call a relationship. All relationships which we have or make in life are crucial. Right from the family relationship, friendship, acquaintances, and romantic relationship, live in relationship, every relationship is important at one or the other point of life. India is different from other nations because of its rich cultural traditions, moral and social values. The modern trend of ‘Live-in-relationship’ has never been welcomed in our country although we find that concept of live-in do existed long time ago, when it was called ‘Maitri Krar’ that was a contract between two sex that they will live together as a friend and will look after each other. As we have aligned to western culture and by adopting alien culture and traditions, we are parting away from our ethics and values. Modern generation increasingly embracing western culture that has sparked the rapid emergence of a new living style christened as ”Live-in-relationship’. This type of relation is unrestricted by obligations and responsibilities and is just an easy walk in and easy walk out relationship. This outsider culture in India has begun mushrooming across the length and breadth of the urban areas. But how far the Indian society has accepted it is a million dollar question. The thinking of society heads in a direction that whether welcoming the concept of live-in-relation will directly or indirectly invite premarital sexual relationships? That is considered as sin in Indian society. Although the SC (Badri Prasad Vs Dy. Director of Consolidation in 978) held live-in relationships in India are legal but subject to caveats like age of marriage, consent and soundness of mind. The apex court has held that a ‘Living-in-relation’ comes within the ambit of right to live, enshrined under the Article 21 of the Constitution of India and that such acts are permissible. We have to recognize that there cannot be relationships unless there is commitment, unless there is loyalty, unless there is love, patience, persistence. I am of the firm opinion that the courts should be the last resort to be approached for social issues otherwise the sane society should resolve social issues acceptable to the whole society as such decisions of the sane society offer for the understanding of society and culture. Whereas Court verdicts are acceptable to one party and the other party is under obligation to accept it. Except that new norms depend upon the prominence of their belief rather than any law. India is different from other nations because of its rich cultural traditions.
We are tuned to accept marriage-based relationships and marriage is acceptable sacramental in India. But now the winds from western have encouraged the youngsters to embrace the culture of live-in-relation without caring about the world around them and assuming them to be the most intelligent and visionary class as decision makers in the society by breaking all morals and values that have existed since the coming of life on the planet. Live-in-relation is referred to as an arrangement whereby two people not coupled with marriage rituals live together and mostly young ones in emotionally and/or sexually intimate relations and these are not stable unions. Such relations mostly have witnessed horrendous outcomes, some for references recently remaining in spotlight are: The grisly murder of the 26-year-old, Shraddha Walker in Delhi, who was mutilated by her live-in partner Aftab Poonawala. The suicide by Actress Tunisha Sharma reportedly abetted by her ‘living-in-relation’ partner Shijan Khan. These incidents are happening with all those girls who are well educated and think they have the ability to make the right decisions for them. The glamorous life has snatched away the established traditions in Indian culture and by adopting new relationship styles, we are not heading towards a satisfied life but a life that is creating ditches for a smooth and satisfying future. We have to understand that in India due to our very old civilization, morals as also folk ways have withstood the test of times. Our ethos and values are, therefore, different from western societies, wherein the practice of a couple in a relationship has been tolerated or accepted for long. In India, the country that is recognized as the land of ‘Rishis (Sage) & Munies (Monks)’, we have to live within a given social system that survives due to a system of bonds and attached restrictions or responsibilities. No one should be above society and should not take judicial views as their guiding force to deviate from social, cultural and traditional ethos and values. Law and society have been working hand-in-hand for the betterment of the individual. Law has been playing a vital role in the changing of society through its rules and regulations. Metropolitan cities of our country have grasped such relations but are continuously under the scanner of sane society that feels such relations as unwanted and unacceptable. India is formed with traditions and customs which are foundation pillars and I am of the opinion, a country of cultural traditions cannot afford to fall into western ways. The laws are not very clear on live-in-relationship at the global level: the countries are hesitant to recognize it. Concluding, although the live-in-relation is legal in the eyes of law, there are more complex grey areas that remain unresolved such as: even if it is permitted, living of unmarried couples together is frowned upon in Indian society. Indian society does not readily accept this type of relationship and is seen as unethical in Indian culture.