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Written by Nivedita Choudhuri
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Wednesday, 28 July 2010 21:38 |
| Mumbai: Every Sunday since March 8, 2010, groups of men, with their siblings and parents, get together in a park in Mumbai. |
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They represent a newly-formed forum called MASHAAL, Mothers and Sisters of Husbands Against Abuse of Law, a non-profit organisation for women who are harassed by their daughters-in-law. The group is part of Indian Family Foundation (IFF), an NGO formed to counter the ‘misuse’ of Section 498A of the IPC, commonly known as the dowry law.
The NGO, which has over 200 members in Mumbai, is also involved in an active campaign to bring about changes in laws, which it considers “unjust”.
The National Crime Records Bureau shows that, between 2004 and 2007, close to 1.2 lakh women were arrested under Section 498A. Jinesh Zaveri, an IFF member, claims that the conviction rate in these cases is a mere 2 per cent as “most cases are false”.
“Although the law exists to prevent the torture of wives, complaints are often filed by women who want to trouble their in-laws. When a marriage turns sour, the wife takes advantage of the provisions of Section 498A to extract alimony. The husband usually succumbs to this form of blackmail as he fears the arrest of his father, mother and siblings. The wife walks away scott free,” Jinesh argues.
Anjan Thakur alleges that his wife left him four years ago as she did not want to live with her in-laws. “When I suggested that we apply for a divorce through mutual consent, all hell broke loose. She has filed cases against me and my mother. My in-laws have sent me threats. I worry about my mother, who suffers from psoriasis and is fighting seven cases which have been filed against her,” he says.
Ankur Patnaik also claims to be a “victim” of Section 498A. His estranged wife has charged his mother and mentally-challenged sister with abuse and harassment. Ankur says his father lost his job after spending two days in prison. “I am currently studying law so that I know my rights. I continue to pay maintenance and appear in court every two months, despite having no steady income,” he says.
The members of MASHAAL meet every week to share their experiences. They have a helpline (09769770498). They have put forth their demands, the most important being the “fair and just treatment of the mothers and sisters of husbands and zero tolerance towards the misuse of laws”. “Mothers and sisters must be able to seek redressal. Laws related to matrimony should be made gender-neutral,” says Patnaik. |
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