Debate on Men's Rights held at Manasagangotri

Mysore, Oct. 12 (DM)-"Mothers, do not give birth to male child in future. Give birth to only female children." This was one of the messages that figured in the de-bate held at EMMRC auditorium in Manasagangotri on Friday.

This message voices no concern about the difference in the male-female ratio but instead has concern for an altogether different reason. According to those who spread this message, laws of the land were in favour of women and against men.

The Sociology Department of Mysore University had joined hands with People's Urge For Rights and Equity (PURE) for holding a debate on Men's rights: Usurping by the society!

Dr. B.G. Ponnappa of PURE moderated the debate in which men, victims of misuse of Anti-Dowry Act (husbands and fathers-in-law), their female family members (mothers-in-law, sisters-in-law) formed the audience. Sarada Vilas Law College Principal Prof. A.M. Bollamma, CRISP President Kumar Jahagirdar, Journalist H.L. Keshavamurthy (from Mandya) and other resource persons participated in the debate.

The resource persons aired their opinions on preventing the misuse of Anti-Dowry Act, identifying discrepancies in the Domestic Atrocities Act, the problems faced by men due to divorce, the curtailment of men's rights and other such issues. Most among the audience applauded whenever the opinions aired by resource persons favoured men.

Statements like "Alimony for the wife, harassment for the husband...," "Domestic Atrocities Act was not required," "Why no punishment for women'" "The notion that ours is a male- dominated society is itself wrong," "More number of men are committing suicide than women," received widespread support from the audience, who revolted against the speakers whenever they made anti-men and pro-women statements.

Bollamma's statement eulogising women was received with stiff opposition from spectators.

According to Dr. Ponnappa, who presided, the laws of the land, politicians, officials, media and everyone are in favour of women. Clippings of media reports highlighting male concerns were on display at the venue. Ponnappa had to translate into English all the spee-ches that were delivered in Kannada.

Husbands, fathers-in-law, mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, who had allegedly undergone harassment under Domestic Violence Act (DVC) expressed their concern over the misuse of the Act.

The daughters-in-law were misusing the Acts aimed to protect women and were harassing their own husbands and in-laws, the participants said explaining their bitter experiences and sought justice.

The participants urged the State and Central governments to enact legislations providing equal rights to men also and appealed to the authorities to prevent misuse of Dowry Act.

Rajeshwari, President of All India Mothers-in-law Association, alleged that the legislations were giving protection only to daughters-in-law.

Prof. Gururaj Beedikar, Head of the Department of Sociology, University of Mysore, one of the victims, opined that the legislations enacted by the Central government to protect the rights of women were meant for women like 'Sita' and not for women like 'Shoorpanakhi.'

He regretted that legislations like DVC were misused and innocent men were being harassed. Journalist and litterateur Prof. Keshavamurhty opposed the arguments that women were harassing men.

He said, harassment begins from men and it was men who take dowry and not women. This led to a wordy duel between the audience and the speaker. Finally, Prof. Keshavamurthy had to cut short his speech.

Children's plight

However, all the participants unanimously agreed that marital discord and divorces drive the children to a world of uncertainty and virtually they become orphans. In the name of maintaining the children, women were extracting more maintenance from their husbands. The children should also grow-up in the custody of father like the mother.

CRISP President Kumar Jahagirdhar (divorced husband of cricketer Anil Kumble's wife Chetana) said that the courts were giving the custody of children to mothers as a result of which children do not get the love and affection of their fathers. In the backdrop of this, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) would be filed in the Supreme Court seeking custody of the children to the father for two days during the weekend.