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Boys do cry!
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A new documentary highlights an issue that's rarely spoken about - that of men and their families being caught unaware
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PHOTO: ARUNANGSU ROY CHOWDHURY
HITTING BELOW THE BELT A number of men have been falsely implicated in dowry cases
It isn't that easy to empathise with a teary-eyed elderly couple lamenting over the ugly turn of events in their family after they were, allegedly, falsely accused in a dowry harassment case. Simply because, we've been conditioned to think that women have always been at the receiving end. Of course, the mounting cases of crime committed against women do justify that thought. But what goes unnoticed is the reality that men too, sometimes, are being falsely implicated.
Support group
Advocate C.V.L. Narasimha Rao, who lends support to the Harassed Husbands' Association, puts the spotlight on the problems faced by men through his documentary, Death Trap. The 38-minute film intersperses select clippings of Telugu films that show marital discord with anecdotes from real-life victimised in-laws. Death Trap highlights the misuse of I.P.C section 498-A. The lawyer is aware that his work might get him more brickbats than bouquets. "There may not be much support for a film that shows how men are being victimised by women. I am not underestimating the problems faced by women, but simply trying to show the other side of the coin. We get a number of cases where daughter-in-laws have falsely accused the husband's family of dowry harassment charges."
Rao feels that some women make use of the non-bailable provisions in Article 498-A to settle scores and wriggle out of unhappy marriages. "It's disheartening to see couples who've been married for a few months file for divorce. I feel marriage management is the need of the hour," adds Rao.
Law flaw
He also attributes the cause of most marriage related problems to the non-implementation of existing laws. "We are talking about compulsory registration of marriages today. AP has had a Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act since 2002 but hasn't been implemented until now. We also have provisions in the law that govern different aspects of a wedding. Going by the rulebook, both the bride and the groom's families should prepare a list of gifts received for the wedding and submit a copy to the dowry harassment prohibition officer. This process, which can help solve innumerable disputes, is not being followed."
Rao highlights these and other issues in his documentary, which he plans to popularise through video libraries in different parts of the state.
C.V.L. Narasimha Rao.
Going by the book
* Section 498-A of I.P.C. should be made bailable (as it was already made compoundable).
* Steps should be taken to register every marriage as per AP Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2002.
* Dowry prohibition officers should be appointed in every district.
* Family courts should be established in every district (as of now there are only eight family courts in AP).
* Pre-marital agreement can avoid unwarranted legal litigations, misunderstandings and false claims.
SANGEETHA DEVI. K
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