Bhubaneswar: The unacknowledged issue of honour killing and crimes by so-called godmen in India was raked up here when women's rights activists put it under the scanner at a national conference for women.

Presenting the status report for the 2001-04 at the four-day national conference of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) beginning yesterday (Nov 18, 2004), its secretary Brinda Karat said that the violence against couples in self-choice inter-caste and inter-community relationships or marriages had increased in the country.

The previous NDA (Non Democratic Alliance) Government did not recognise that honour killings occur in India. In 2001 it even protested strongly against the UN report of such killings in India. But their instance has gone up, Karat said.

Young women suspected by their families or accused by caste panchayats of being in relationships that cross caste barriers were killed and such deaths went unreported since their own families were involved in the crime, she said.

Thus the term 'missing girls' has an added ominous meaning in the context of honour killings. A series of legal measures are required to check this, Karat said, adding that the AIDWA would send its demands to the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government and Law Commission.

On the increasing number of cases where 'godmen' misused the trust reposed in them by unsuspecting women devotees and sexually exploited them, Karat alleged that instead of taking stringent action against these criminals, the law enforcement agencies often protected them.