Book of Unfreedom

Context:  Recently, in a webinar on “Periyar and feminism”, Thol. Thirumavalavan, quoted Periyar on the Manu smriti, to say that the “Manu Dharma” demeans women, holding them to be prostitutes by nature.

Manu smriti (as Religious scripture) – Demeaning to Women

• Describes women as corrupting men: 

• “It is the very nature of women to corrupt men here on earth; for that reason, circumspect men do not get careless and wanton among wanton women.”  -  Manu Smriti

• The Christian, Islamic and Buddhist texts also warn against women, portraying them as sexually promiscuous, secretive, sly and out to entrap men.

• Controls the autonomy of women:

• It restricts a young girl to do anything independently in her own house and should be under her father’s control of our husbands and sons.

• Manu portrays this control as “reverence” and “protection” rather than as repression and oppression.

• Tries to prevent the breakdown of caste hierarchies and caste apartheid: 
• For, E.g. Manu smriti lays down the law that a woman who makes love to a man of a higher caste incurs no punishment while a woman who makes love to a man of a “lower” caste than hers should incur some punishment.

Impact of Manu laws in Modern society and politics:

• Restrictions on Women’s free movement: Just 41 % of Indian women aged between 15 and 49 are allowed to go alone to the market, to the health centre, and outside the community - National Family Health survey 2015–16 (NFHS-4).

• Criminalisation of consensual sexual relationships: 40 % classified rapes are actually parental criminalisation of consensual sexual relationships.

• Rising Hatred: leading oppositions to inter-caste, inter-faith marriage, attacks on Dalits and instances of ‘love jihad’.

Conclusion: The movement against ‘Manu Smriti’ must be robustly feminist and unconditionally assert women’s autonomy.