Archive · 19 Dec 2025
Marital Rape Bill Introduced in Lok Sabha
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha to make marital rape a crime.
He said the current law, which doesn't consider marital rape a crime, is outdated and comes from a time when women were seen as property.
This idea that women belong to men affects many parts of their lives, like how they behave, what they wear, and the choices they make.
It also leads to things like blaming women for violence against them and 'honour killings'.
These 'honour killings' happen when women marry someone their family doesn't approve of, often because of caste rules.
The Bill aims to change this and protect women's rights.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor introduced a private member’s Bill in the Lok Sabha to criminalise marital rape.
He called the exception for marital rape in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) a remnant of colonial-era patriarchal mindsets.
Patriarchal ideology of honour enforces distinct codes for men and women, often leading to violence against women.
Honour-related violence, including 'honour killings', is often tied to caste and the regulation of women's behaviour.
Recent cases of alleged 'honour killings' have been reported in Sonbhadra, Nanded, and Chennai.
- Who
- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor
- What
- Introduced a private member’s Bill to criminalise marital rape
- When
- Not specified
- Where
- Lok Sabha
- Why
- To address the exception in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and challenge patriarchal mindsets
- Bill Introduced By
- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor
- Bill Type
- Private member’s Bill
- Bill Focus
- Criminalising marital rape
- Current Law
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)
- Patriarchal Ideology
- Honour codes for men and women
- Honour Killings
- Violence to enforce honour codes
- Casteism Link
- Honour-related violence tied to caste
- Recent Cases
- Sonbhadra, Nanded, Chennai