male attyachar

MALE ATTYACHAAR: THE NEW EMOTIONAL ANGLE

In the last four years alone, over 1,23,497 women have been arrested under IPC Section 498A alone, without any evidence ,or investigation ; not for committing any crime under law, but only because they were related to a man. Madhu Kishwar, noted woman rights activist has admitted that this section of the law is highly misused, and that a large number who come to them i.e. Manushi are mother-in-laws and husbands who have been falsely implicated in cases of marital cruelty and dowry harassment. Feminist and renowned IPS officer Kiran Bedi acknowledges that many poor and illiterate Mother-in-laws and sister-in laws are falsely charged and these poor women are languishing in jails. It is a sad day in our history when the educated masses of our society are misusing these Laws for their own benefit and “Dowry Law “is no exception. It is one of the strongest Laws and anyone who is booked under this law has no choice but to spend time in jail.

It doesn’t sound plausible but yes, the Indian male can be at the receiving end too. There is an increasing feeling of dismay over the abuse which is meted out by woman who misuses this empowerment to their benefit. Increasing independence, freedom empowerment of women is all for the progress of the nation but where it is used on the flip side to settle scores or to just take an easy way out is wrong. This loophole is present and has been glaringly pointed out by the Honorable Supreme Court. It terms the Misuse of Section 498A As “Unleashing of a New Legal Terrorism on Innocent Husband’s family and Domestic Violence Act as ‘one of the most clumsily drafted law “.

Ms. Lisa Brar, leading standing council for U.T. remarks that there is a rampant misuse of the law; it is in fact used as a levering tool for negotiations. We need to bring safeguards to ensure the honest execution of this law .There is an increase in the associations all over the country which are being started to safeguard the rights of men. Recently, an association was started by ‘Peedth Mother-in-laws” to escape the wrath of their daughter-in-laws in Chandigarh and they had an overwhelming response on the first day! On the crossroads of Delhi there are little signboards which flash a number; advertising the fact that help will be given to males only who want to escape the wrath of these scorned women. This campaign is started by a supreme court lawyer , R P Chugh, a Supreme Court advocate who started a men's advocacy group Crime Against Man Cell aka Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Husbands way back in the 80s to take head on cases of 'false charges of dowry harassment and torture'.

This emotional attyachar is the new angle which is hitting the Indian society leading to an increase in divorce, marital problems affecting the next generation. When the MLA from Bholath, MR Sukhpal Khaira was asked this, he said, yes this law is being misused by the women in cities; rural girls of Punjab who are the main sufferers are ignorant of this law. He was all for the correct and truthful interpretation of the law.

It is essential that safeguards should be there where the law should not be used as leverage or as a bargaining chip. It is seen that a large number of girls which file cases under Punjab State Women Commission use this as a pretext to settle scores and to falsely implicate their in-laws.MRs Gurdev Kaur Sangha, Chairperson said that she sees an increase in the cases filed by woman who are misled by their lawyers to threaten, harass the in-laws in coercing them to payer higher divorce settlements and alimony.



Steps are being taken to safeguard the dignity of men who till now were the stronger sex but have been reduced to mere weaklings in this war of the sexes where law supports the weaker one. This loosely defined law has its loopholes and steps should be taken to ensure proper implementation.

Ravneet Sangha

Jalandhar