Yesterday I watched a TV news where an engineer woman was
killed by her doctor husband. She was bundled into a suitcase and thrown into a
river. The doctor was asking for dowry.
For how long will such
atrocities against women continue? We often tend to believe that atrocities
occur only in uneducated families. But, this incident shows that these cases
are happening in educated families as well.
Women are
tortured by their in-laws for not bringing adequate dowry, not producing a male
child, not doing a house hold work. In some houses the bride is treated not as a
Bahu of the family but a maidservant. The irony of the situation is that these
days even a maidservant will not listen to unreasonable demands, and leave the
work the very next day if you dare to say something to her.
In our
society a girl child is considered a Paraya Dhan. Once she is married we feel
that our responsibility is over and now the girl should adjust within the new family. Sometimes girls
are not allowed to talk or meet their parents. It is understood by the boy’s
side that the girl should sever all ties from her parents and focus on her new
family. They take the girl as their private property or as a maid they have purchased
who is supposed to follow instructions without opening her mouth. In some
houses even the dress the girl is supposed to wear is decided by her
in-laws. We must understand one thing
that a daughter will always remain a daughter. She will always be attached to
her parents. It is not possible to make
her yours by cutting her off from her family. In her new family she needs
lots of love and affection from her in-laws. She needs co-operation, understanding, protection,
security and love from her husband, in order to make her feel that this new
family is hers and they are concerned
about her well being.
We must give
our daughters good education so that
they can handle such situations bravely.
Although the law against domestic
violence passed in 2005 has brought a change but not many girls are aware of
their rights after marriage. Atrocities against women is the burning topic
which cannot be ignored. We must understand that a girl has her own mind, her
likes and dislikes. She is an individual and would like to live her life without
unreasonable restrictions. She should not feel caged after marriage. I feel
that “Rights of women” as a subject
should be taught to girls in the school. This will make them aware of
their rights and also give them strength to fight such atrocities. A girl’s
parents should also give her support if
she is having a problem in her marriage. It is not right to say that once a
girl is married her parents lose all
rights over her. If a girl is not happy in her new family then her parents have
all the right to question a groom’s
family.
