Staring at an uncertain future, 85-year-old Madhavi’s long fight for justice will have to continue. The frail elderly lady could barely walk on her own and required her daughter Sasikala’s assistance as she made her way for the mega adalat of the Kerala State Women’s Commission (SWC) at the PWD Rest House at Thycaud on Monday.
She has been running from pillar to post ever since Sasikala’s husband Jayakumar, a daily-wage labourer, had allegedly made away with all of her identification documents including the family’s ration card, her Aadhaar card, old-age pension documents and health insurance card, two years ago. Having suffered at the hands of her husband, Sasikala, who works as a domestic help, has moved in with her mother at Vembayam.
“Without the documents, there is very little we can do for our daily sustenance. My son, who suffers from a kidney ailment, cannot seek government assistance without the ration card. Despite having approached the police with our grievance, we are yet to get justice,” she said.
There was nothing much to cheer for the duo at the adalat with the respondent failing to arrive for the hearing. The commission will issue yet another notice, following which legal proceedings will be initiated against him.
In another case, 93-year-old Narayanan Kutty accompanied his wife Thulasi, aged 84, both natives of Parassala, with a complaint against their grandson, who allegedly brutally assaulted her. The octogenarian had been hospitalised with considerable head injuries.
Transfer of property
The youth allegedly wanted the couple to transfer their ancestral properties to his name.
Commission chairperson M.C. Josephine said that a majority of the 150 cases that were taken up for hearing pertained to similar family disputes. There were also many that exposed the persisting lack of legal awareness among women.
She cited a case in which a woman, who held M.A. B.Ed. degrees, was allegedly subjected to torture by her husband on numerous occasions during their 16-year-long married life, when they were living in the Middle East. She was recently abandoned while their two children were taken away by her husband.
Ms. Josephine said that the commission will get in touch with the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA) Department and Pravasi organisations in a bid to bring the respondent to appear before the panel.
Shocking ignorance
“The shocking ignorance of their legal rights by women have led to such cases occurring time and again. Quite surprisingly, women who were highly qualified and have travelled widely have also been at the receiving end of harassment,” she lamented.
As many as 51 cases, including those being considered by courts, were disposed at the adalat. Reports have been sought from police and other departments in four cases. As many as 83 cases have been deferred to the next adalat with many of the parties concerned failing to turn up.
Commission members member Shiji Shivaji, E.M. Radha, director V.U. Kuriakose, police officials, advocates and counsellors participated in the adalat, which will continue on Tuesday.
