There is a flip side to the anti-dowry and domestic violence laws, which are seen as refuge by many distressed women, according to the Kerala Kudumba Samrakshana Vedi, a forum to protect families.
These laws have played their part in the destruction of many families, the forum says, and hence the Vedi will organise a mass dharna at Kozhikode Collectorate on November 19 against the legislations.
President of the Vedi Bhagavandas Madhathodi told reporters here on Saturday that the laws apparently for the protection of women and some of the verdicts based on them blatantly defied the fundamental rights that the Constitution had granted citizens of the country.
Mr. Bhagavandas cited the case involving MLA Jose Thettayil and the verdict on it by Justice Bhavadasan who had said that the laws for women’s protection often neglected the rights of men.
He also gave examples of similar verdicts by other courts. Also, a comment in Parliament by Minister Maneka Gandhi that the Dowry Prohibition Act should be reframed showed the seriousness of the misuse of the legislations, he said.
During the dharna at the Collectorate on Wednesday, the Vedi would make a set of demands to prevent the misuse of laws to protect women, Mr. Bhagavandas said.
The laws should be restructured so that they did not enslave men. There should be panchayat-level vigilance committees to secure the families. There should also be laws for the protection of men. Parents who lived separately should have equal rights to take care of their children.
The responsibility of women in the families should be made part of the law. Women who abandon their children should be penalised.
The men should not be deprived of their right to sleep in their own houses.
Also, an account of the gifts and gold received should be made at the time of registration of marriage. A receipt should also be issued for advocate’s services. These would be some of the demands to be made by the Vedi at the dharna. Noted freedom fighter P. Vasu will inaugurate the dharna while literacy activist Rabiya would be the chief guest on the occasion.
