MASHAAL - Mothers And Sisters of Husband Against Abuse of Law
MASHAAL Forum Mumbai - Mothers And Sisters of Husband Against Abuse of Law.
Weekly Meetings:
Borivali E National Park Every Sunday - 11 am
Mulund E Deshmukh Garden Every Saturday - 5 pm
Call: 976 977 0 498
email: mashaal@iff-ngo.com
TOI Coverage on 8th of March:
When bad bahu harasses saas
Rebecca Samervel | TNN
Mumbai: A magistrates court recently acquitted a man and his aged parents in a case of cruelty to wife under section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code.The court held that the young wife,who made these allegations of cruelty and harassment over dowry,could not substantiate them.
It was a routine trial for the lawyers,but for the mother-in-law charged of abuse and harassment,the acquittal was a vindication of sorts.The 62-year-old woman felt she had come out of a nightmare.She is not alone,many others feel hurt and at the mercy of the legal process once their daughters-in-law or sistersin-law initiate a criminal case against them under section 498-A.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) says that between 2004 and 2007, 1.2 lakh women were arrested for an offence under section 498-A, the section many men find draconian,but which aims at preventing torture of helpless wives over dowry.
This Womens Day,a group of women and men have come together as Mothers and Sisters of Husbands against Abuse of Law (MASHAAL) to protest the misuse of section 498-A. The group is part of a local NGO, Indian Family Foundation, which aims tackle the abuse of law.
Are only wives women? What about the mothers and sisters of the husband This is only a wife-centric law, said Lata Mishra,an alleged victim. Her weekly dialysis treatment did not prevent her arrest when estranged daughter-in-law Arti charged her son Narayan and the rest of her family, including a mentally challenged daughter for cruelty and ill-treatment.
Although Lata and her daughter received bail the same day on medical grounds, her husband spent over 48 hours in jail and was suspended from work.He is the sole bread winner. My daughter is paralysed and we thought of suicide often, she said. But timely intervention from MASHAAL prevented the extreme step. We realised that there are many like us and we kept fighting, said Narayan, who began studying law.
The group has been meeting every Sunday for the last eight months and addressing grievances. The women allege that often, the law is abused by women seeking to extort money. While many admit that the law is a step in the right direction, its misuse is leading to legal terrorism, said the group.
In many cases,complaints are made on Friday to prevent bail, said Minal Verma,whose daughter-inlaw filed charges against the family four years ago.
Often,498-A complaints are filed by the affluent and educated. But after a flurry of complaints about its misuse, the law is being applied with caution for the last few years, say police officers.
(Names changed to protect identity)
posted by IndianHusbands | 9:31 AM
9 Comments:
Wishing Mashaal a victory against Misuse of Laws ....
- Avani
>>The court held that the young wife,who made these allegations of cruelty and harassment over dowry,could not substantiate them.
The courts know very well that most of these cases are false... but in fear of women organisations the judges are nevertheless dragging the cases forever thereby punishing the falsely accused through the indian judicial process!
HAPPY WOMENS' DAY to ALL MOTHERS AND SISTERS OF HUSBANDS.
Let MASHAAL rekindle the confidence back into victimised families and sons/brothers and be the torch bearer to burn down the abusive extortionist gender biased draconian matrimonial laws,498a,pwdva,dpa,125 crpc.
LETS SPREAD THIS FIRE AND KEEP IT KEEP STRONG UNTIL THE GOAL IS ACHIEVED.
Living in Switzerland, it is hard for me to believe what is happening in India. I know the price of "equal" rights, are women in India ready to really pay that price? Earning your own salary, driving to IKEA buying and assembling the furniture, paying your own rent, car, with your own money, going out with a man and pay your own bill. The price for this equality is having a baby and mangaing the household alone because there is no loving MIL or SIL that will help you so that you can rest the first weeks after birth. This so called freedom has a huge pricetag, that women in India cannot estimate. And even...being educated here and working just as hard as a male co-worker, I still earn less and the guy from the car dealer will want to talk to my husband and not me. But sure, I have equal rights - and of course equal respnonsibility. There is no such thing as something for nothing in life!
(Hi Jinesh, lots of love from Radha ;o))
Hi Radha (Rachna), :-)
Its been long that we have blogged on http://strong2gether.blogspot.com
thanks for all your support and understanding. My regards to you and your kids and special regards to your hubby.
LUV,
Jinesh.
I have been married for 3 years and having a daughter of 1.5 years.
But my wife never stayed properly and regularly with me. For the last 3 years she had excuse that she could not stay here due to her studies and after the child born excuse had gone far stronger. She never does any household work when she comes here. My mother is an artheritis patient and on the bed for last 20 years. She never looked or care about my mother and always treated her as some waste household object. All she knows of scaring me with the waepon of 498.
I don't know how long I could servive for this law had made me crippled. Its just became a dogs life. I am living for my old mother otherwise its better to commit suicide instead of living this shamefull life.
THERE IS ALWAYS WAY OUT, KINDLY GO FOR PUBLIC LITIGATION TO CHANGE OR ABOLISH THIS LAW
PIL for the cause by Dashrath Devda of Ahmedabad was fined 1Lakh rupees by the court without hearing.
its the mindset that is biased and causing the damage at large.
It's very positive steps taken by this organization. I am with you.
We definitely succeed this.
Post a Comment
<< Home