“India is a conservative society, it has not yet reached such level (advance or lower) of civilization where unmarried girls, regardless of their religion, indulge in carnal activities with boys just for the fun of it, unless the same is backed by some future promise/assurance of marriage," the Madhya Pradesh High Court recently observed.   

And honestly, being a woman, a *** and relationships writer and well, someone with common sense, nothing about the statement sat right with me and several others on social media.

Unmarried girls in India don’t do carnal activities for fun: Madhya Pradesh high court https://t.co/lOL0UZISrq pic.twitter.com/hIH3PBZ4OT

— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) August 15, 2021

This was observed by Justice Subodh Abhyanakar of the Indore bench of the High Court during the bail hearing of a man who was accused of alleged rape after a girl he refused to marry tried to commit suicide by drinking phenyl.  

The court observed, “to prove her point, it is not necessary every time for a victim to try to commit suicide as in the present case,” as it pointed out the seriousness of the relationship for the woman, who would not have entered it casually. 

The bail was obviously denied and as was any sort of ‘benefit of doubt’ to men in the country once and for all.

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The accused is facing charges Section 376 (Rape) and Section 366 (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage) of the Indian Penal Code and various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Mahakal police station of Ujjain district.

The bench further said, “...a boy who is entering into a physical relationship with a lass must realize that his actions have consequences. You just cannot plead consent on the part of the prosecutrix and laugh all the way to your home,” ruled the High court. 

The accused, on the other hand, had claimed that he was having an affair with the girl for almost two years, and she entered into the physical relationship of her own will as she is around 21-years-old. However, both their parents were against the union because the applicant was Hindu and the girl was Muslim. 

Since when did the @mphighcourt become qualified to be the voice of the carnal preferences of India's unmarried girls? Take legal positions, not moral ones. Your unqualified generalisations betray your implicit biases against the agency of #indianwomen.https://t.co/1DwSAWsgUa

— Mellowdrama (@Mellowdrama5) August 15, 2021

It was after the accused told her in June this year that he was going to marry someone else, that the girl drank phenyl, claims the prosecution. 

As of now, the bail plea has been denied by the court and while the case is still ongoing.

However, the case aside, the bench’s recent observations have created an uproar on social media. Here are some of the reactions:

So with a 'future promise' one can hold sway on a girl's chastity.
Good.
Wish the learned also say how is a future promise handled by the court

— Shankar Venugopal (@itzmylife) August 14, 2021

In a country where husband can go away from marriage without even divorce and live the life & political life without even acknowledge the marriage. Is telling girls to get promise of marriage before relation :))

— PriyaNeerajam (@PriyaNeerajam) August 14, 2021

Would it still be the same if roles were reversed? Any adult shd be self responsible for their acts when in a relationship and relationships do break. The man alone is not always at fault. As a society we need to be of more progressive thinking and not blinded age old beliefs

— _Memyself_ (@keepinitomyself) August 15, 2021

Land of Kamasutra to a large extent is still a Sexually repressive society.

— WELL_FLR (@ftmtbatt) August 14, 2021

SC MUST note judges are now regressing and resorting to prejudice and personal predilections when adjudicating in court.@indSupremeCourt

— Prakash (@a_Lib_) August 14, 2021

Why cant courts then declare premarital *** as illegal. Less paperwork, less headache

— Mid finger to White Beard (@DrNo771) August 14, 2021

Wonder if he thinks unmarried boys in India indulges in Carnal Activities for fun

— Tino Thomas (@Tman_tino) August 14, 2021

pic.twitter.com/R96L07BRZR

— Gauri (@AntiReal123) August 14, 2021

"India are a conservative society, it has not yet reached such level (advance or lower) of civilization.."

So how do we make it to that level? By behaving more conservative?

— ruchika (@bnruchika) August 14, 2021

At this rate, it would be eons since India would turn from a regressive country to a progressive one.

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