The Kerala police, in guidelines on ‘pravasi' marriages, have come out with a set of don'ts for women from India marrying an Indian citizen residing abroad or a person of Indian origin with foreign citizenship.
Foremost among the guidelines is an advice that an Indian woman should on no account take a decision in haste by bowing to pressure from others. She should not enter into an alliance merely for getting fresh pastures abroad or a green card.
Alliances should not be fixed over the telephone or through email without seeing the family members. Alliances should not be fixed with keenness and in haste merely because one got the impression that everything was fine.
Marriages should not be fixed merely on the basis of talks with a bureau, agent or broker and by blindly believing what they say. Find out whether the claims made about the groom on marriage websites are correct. Marriages should not be fixed in secrecy. If the details are discussed with close persons, friends or relatives it might yield information that no other source could provide.
An Indian woman should not agree to the conduct of marriage in a foreign country. She should, on no account, accept money offered by the husband or his nominee for separation. If there is pressure in this regard, she should inform the authorities about it.
If the husband abandons the wife in India or abroad, or if he or his relatives harasses her, she should not remain silent. She should immediately approach the authorities. Bogus documents should not be made or used for going abroad.
A woman should, on no account, become a partner in unlawful activities however much the pressure or inducement is.
She should not succumb to pressure for taking legal action in the country in which the husband is residing. She can file a case in India. She should not succumb to pressure for involving in the case filed by the husband in the country in which he is residing.
She should keep in mind the fact that in divorce cases, the laws are more favourable to women in India than in any other country.
A woman need not worry if her husband obtains divorce in another country with or without their knowledge. It will not have any legal validity in India. It will have legal validity in India only if she appeared as a party in the case.
A woman should not defame the husband or his relatives if she thinks that the husband is going to file a case against her. She should disclose things only in legally appropriate forums such as the police, advocate, social worker or court.
She should not take the law into her hands to wreak vengeance. Strong-arm tactics should not be adopted against the husband or his relatives to solve problems.
If there is any problem, She should approach the government agency authorised to handle it. She should never file any false or meaningless complaint.
Keywords: pravasi marriages, foreign citizenship
"There are many men who are also duped by greedy women and her greedy family". statistically, the weaker (minority) you are, the higher the possibility of exploitation, and thus laws are more favourable towards the minority. The few instances that a minor exploits a stronger individual should not overshadow the special privileges extended to the minorities. I do not want a system where bus seats are reserved for a strongman wrestler in favour of the disabled.
There must be guidelines for men too..... they should refuse to marry. Marriage is a slavery of men, a tool of extortion for women.
There should have been some information for MAN/ husbands also and for women information on the legal consequences of filing false complaints and cases.
I fail to understand why the Kerala police have issued guidelines only for women as though fraud is committed by only men. There are plenty of women who also commit fraud and men end up in the midst of nowhere. On top of it, the laws being in favour of women [all in the name and garb of gender equality] makes it hell for these victimised men. Its time that men fight for their rights. Its time that the laws are made gender-neutral and NOT pro-women because that is anathema to equality. Equality means equality and not being pro-men or pro-women.
Good move by police, but still this move is incomplete! There are many men who are also duped by greedy women and her greedy family. False cases of harassment are filed to extort money from husband. How will police deal with such false cases and provide justice to innocent? Indian police needs to be more active and more alert about sufferings of innocents regardless of gender or caste!
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