The role of the state in reforming religious and social practices is a subject of heated debate in India. This is especially so when such reforms involve claims of women. A recent example is the debate around marital rape. In this episode we go back more than 130 years and examine the reactions to the British government  increasing the age of consent for women from 10 to 12 years and how these led to India’s first sedition trial.

Research Assistance: Jiyon Chatterjee 

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Reading list

• Chitranshul Sinha, The Great Repression India, Viking 2019


• IshitaPande, "Phulmoni's body: the autopsy, the inquest and the humanitarian narrative on child rape in India." South Asian History and Culture 4.1 (2013): 9-30.


• Queen-Empress vs Hurree Mohun Mythee (1891) ILR 18 Cal 49 https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1410526/

Host: Leah Verghese

This is a Maed in India production.

Producer: Nikkethana K

Sound Mixing: Lakshman Parsuram

Project Supervisor: Shaun Fanthome