Ensure women's safety = Ignore men's safety?

Recently Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil assured all women journalists that the Government would provide them special security when they are out on their job.

Sounds like a populist measure dreamt up without considering the root cause of why crime in the society is on the rise.

Go through the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report which states that ‘crimes against men are increasing rapidly' and more than 75% of murders reported in this country are against men.

Take a look at the Murder rate of Men vs Women:

Murder: http://ncrb.nic.in/CII-2009-NEW/cii-2009/Table%203.3.pdf

Male Victims-24,441, Female Victims-8,718 Total Victims-33,159

Culpabale Homicide Not Amounting To Murder (Sec.304 and 308 IPC) During 2009

http://ncrb.nic.in/CII-2009-NEW/cii-2009/Table%203.4.pdf

Male Victims=3,529, Female Victims=753 Total Victims=4282

Now we wonder, can a society provide safety to women, while men themselves are not safe? The NCRB report summarized the data of crimes against women and children, but they did not provide any details of crimes against men.

Since 2005, we have been providing the crime and murder data compiled by the NCRB to the Government, but they fed it to the bins as media never showed any concern over the safety of men, which is a need of society.

If you go through the report of "Committee to protect Journalists " and click on Gender, it clearly mentions that 97% of the journalists killed were men.

On August 24th, a Journalist from UP, Mr. Akhilesh, was killed. But there was hardly any protest from the journalists associations or any candlelight vigils by common people of society.

I am really not surprised given the biased approach prevalent in every institution. We have death penalty for murder, but the cases are increasing day by day. It is evident beyond reasonable doubt that increasing the punishment alone won’t help in reducing crime.

When someone commits a crime, what are the chances that he gets caught? Currently the number stands at 10 to 15 per cent on an average.Today the police can trap any innocent law abiding citizen in criminal cases but fails to catch the real criminal for months/years.

Once a criminal is caught the law punishes him for 10 to 12 years and if someone wants to prove his innocence it takes 10 to 12 years. So, the root cause is the failure of our criminal justice system and the police.

More stringent laws mean more power to police/judiciary, which could lead to abuse of power and more corruption. The failure of police to provide safety to Indian men never gets highlighted.

All women activists/media are running behind the women safety issue, like in a desert desperately trying to find a mirage.

History itself states that where men are not safe, dreaming of safety for women is nothing but fooling yourself.

Safety/violence is never a gender issue. Media friends must also understand the pain of a woman when she loses her brother or son or father.

 

https://www.saddahaq.com/politics/mumbairapehorror/does-women-safety--ignore-men-safety 

DIVORCE BILL ANTI MEN LIVE PROGRAM IN HEAD LINES TODAY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPmfb8VGvZM

HC asks sessions court to decide on bail plea of Yukta`s husband

MUMBAI: The Bombay HC on Wednesday asked a sessions court to decide on the anticipatory bail plea filed by former Miss World Yukta Mookhey's estranged husband Prince Tuli on August 30.

"The sessions judge has not taken into consideration that the offence under Section 498A is a continuing offence," said Justice Sadhna Jadhav. She said the trial judge did not consider the 15 non-cognisable offences, proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act and two complaints filed by Yukta. She had challenged the interim protection to Tuli and the sessions judge's observation that a case under Section 498 A could not be made out.

Additional public prosecutor P P Shinde told the high court that the investigation officer would place before the sessions court all the materials in the case, including the complaints filed by Mookhey. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/HC-asks-sessions-court-to-decide-on-bail-plea-of-Yuktas-husband/articleshow/22130136.cms 

Encouraging Divorce - Children of divorced, illegally wedded wives of deceased officers entitled to pension

NEW DELHI: Children of divorced or those born to illegally wedded wife of a deceased all India services officer are entitled to get family pensions, according to new rules notified by the central government.
"Where the deceased member of service or pensioner is survived by a widow but has left behind eligible child or children from a divorced or an illegally wedded wife or wives, the eligible child or children shall be entitled to the share of family pension which the mother would have received at the time of the death of the member of service or pensioner had she not been so divorced or had she been legally wedded," they say.
All India services comprise IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service.
Earlier, children born outside wedlock of a government servant had no claim on family pension and the legally wedded wife was the sole recipient of the post-retirement benefit.
The amended All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, also have provisions to provide equal share of pension to more than one widow of a deceased officer.
The rules have a provision to recognise marriage and family of a member of the services after his or her retirement and have made such family member eligible to receive pension after the death of an officer.
They also provide for monetary support to mentally retarded children of an officer of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).
"If the son or daughter of a member of service is suffering from any disorder or disability of mind including the mentally retarded or is physically crippled or disabled so as to render him or her unable to earn a living even after attaining the age of twenty-five years, the family pension shall be payable to such son or daughter for life," the rules said.

If there are more than one such son or daughter suffering from disorder or disability of mind or who are physically crippled or disabled, the family pension shall be paid in the order of their birth and the younger of them will get the family pension only after the elder next above him or her ceases to be eligible, the rules clarified.

In case both wife and husband are members of service and are governed by the provisions of the rules and one of them dies while in service or after retirement, the family pension in respect of the deceased shall become payable to the surviving husband or wife and in the event of the death of the husband or wife, the surviving child or children shall be granted the two family pensions in respect of the deceased parents, they said.

Retired all India service officials will also get additional pensions after completing 80 years of age, according to them.

Such retired government officials will get 20 per cent of additional pension after they complete 80 years of age, 30 per cent of after completing 85 years, 40 per cent after crossing 90 years of age, 50 per cent after reaching 95 years and 100 per cent of additional pension after completing 100 years of age, the rules said.

If there are more than one such son or daughter suffering from disorder or disability of mind or who are physically crippled or disabled, the family pension shall be paid in the order of their birth and the younger of them will get the family pension only after the elder next above him or her ceases to be eligible, the rules clarified.

In case both wife and husband are members of service and are governed by the provisions of the rules and one of them dies while in service or after retirement, the family pension in respect of the deceased shall become payable to the surviving husband or wife and in the event of the death of the husband or wife, the surviving child or children shall be granted the two family pensions in respect of the deceased parents, they said.

Retired all India service officials will also get additional pensions after completing 80 years of age, according to them.

Such retired government officials will get 20 per cent of additional pension after they complete 80 years of age, 30 per cent of after completing 85 years, 40 per cent after crossing 90 years of age, 50 per cent after reaching 95 years and 100 per cent of additional pension after completing 100 years of age, the rules said.
 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Children-of-divorced-illegally-wedded-wives-of-deceased-officers-entitled-to-pension/articleshow/22137270.cms 

पिटाई? ओमपुरी ने बीवी पर ही लगा दिए हजार आरोप

मुंबई।। पत्नी को डंडे से पीटने के आरोप में पुलिस द्वारा भगोड़ा साबित किए गए जाने-माने ऐक्टर ओम पुरी का कहना है कि उनके घर में कोई डंडा है ही नहीं। उन्होंने अपने ऊपर लगे घरेलू हिंसा के आरोप को नकारते हुए कहा कि घर में एकमात्र बांस की सजावटी छड़ी है जिसे खुद उनकी पत्नी खरीदकर लाई थीं और इसे भी वह फरेंसिक जांच के लिए भेजने को तैयार हैं।

टीओआई से खास बातचीत में उन्होंने कहा, 'वह कहती हैं कि मैंने उन्हें सुबह 9:30 पर पीटा.. अगर ऐसा है तो वह पुलिस के पास शाम 4:30 बजे रपट लिखाने क्यों पहुंचीं.. आखिर सात घंटे वह किस बात का इतंजार कर रही थीं?' उन्होंने कहा कि छह हफ्ते पहले भी नंदिता उन पर और उनकी पूर्व पत्नी सीमा पर उनके बेटे को किडनैप करने की कोशिश का आरोप लगा चुकी हैं। जबकि, अगले ही दिन वह अपनी बात से पलट गईं और कहा कि उन्हें शक है कि हम ऐसा कर सकते हैं। ओम पुरी ने कहा, 'इस घटना से उनकी मानसिक हालत बयां होती है।'

ओम पुरी ने नंदिता की मानसिक हालत पर ही सवालिया निशान लगा दिया। पूरे मामले पर उनका कहना था, 'जिस समय कहासुनी हुई, उस समय नंदिता ने मेरा कॉलर पकड़ा और मुझे गालियां दीं। मैंने शांत रहने की कोशिश की और मैं घर से बाहर जाने लगा। लेकिन, उसने मेरा रास्ता रोक लिया और जब मैंने जबरदस्ती निकलने की कोशिश की तो उन्होंने कहना शुरू कर दिया कि मैं उनपर हमला कर रहा हूं।'

पत्नी नंदिता की पुलिस शिकायत पर ओम पुरी अग्रिम जमानत की कोशिश कर रहे हैं। ओम पुरी का कहना है कि नंदिता को वह घर और बेटे के लिए अच्छी खासी रकम देते हैं। लेकिन नंदिता काफी खर्चीली किस्म की हैं जबकि वह ग्रामीण परिवेश में पले-बढ़े हैं। बकौल ओम पुरी, 'नंदिता चाहती हैं कि वह आजीवन मिसेज ओम पुरी कहलाएं इसलिए वह तलाक भी नहीं ले रही हैं। साथ ही उन्हें अपने हाथ से वह रकम निकल जाने का भी डर है जो मैं उन्हें देता हूं।' उन्होंने नंदिता के इस दावे को भी खारिज कर दिया कि वह घर के रखरखाव के लिए पैसे नहीं देते हैं। उन्होंने कहा, 'वह घर के सभी तरह के बिल चुकाते हैं और तीन फ्लैट्स की हमारी जॉइंट ओनरशिप है। 'लेकिन, नंदिता को अपने खर्चों पर लगाम लगानी आती ही नहीं।'

सवालों के जवाब में ओम पुरी ने यह भी कहा कि वह नंदिता से तलाक के बाद अपनी पहली पत्नी के साथ रहना पसंद करेंगे।

ओम पुरी के शब्दों में: क्या हुआ था उस दिन?

ओम पुरी का कहना है कि राखी वाले दिन नंदिता ने उनसे 10 हजार रुपए मांगे। नंदिता यह रकम उन 10 लड़कियों को देना चाहती थी जिसने उनके बेटे ईशान को राखी बांधी थी। ओम पुरी के अनुसार, जब वह मांगे हुए पैसे दे चुके तो कुछ देर बाद फिर से नंदिता ने उनसे 3 हजार रुपए मांगे। नंदिता ने 3 हजार रुपए का मोबाइल घर की नौकरानी को दे दिया था क्योंकि नौकरानी ने भी ईशान को राखी बांधी थी। इस रकम को लेकर दोनों में कहासुनी हो गई और बकौल ओम पुरी, उन्हें अगले दिन पता चला कि उनके खिलाफ घरेलू हिंसा का केस दर्ज करवा दिया गया है।

पुलिस के अनुसार: क्या हुआ था उस दिन?

पुलिस का कहना है कि मियां-बीवी के बीच अंधेरी के वर्सोवा इलाके में सेवेन बंगलोज स्थित त्रुशिल बिल्डिंग में अपने फ्लैट के रखरखाव को लेकर कहासुनी शुरू हुई। उसके बाद नाराज ऐक्टर ने कथित तौर पर गुरुवार को रात नौ बजे के करीब छड़ी से अपनी पत्नी नंदिता की पिटाई की।

http://m.nbt.in/text/details.php?storyid=22120224&section=top-news 

Send that ‘stick’ for forensic test, demands Om Puri

The official version says that Om Puri is 'absconding' after estranged wife Nandita filed a police complaint accusing him of domestic violence. But TOI tracked down the actor to quiz him about his headline grabbing personal life. Excerpts from the interview.

Your estranged wife Nandita has accused you of physical violence...
She has gone to town saying that I hit her with a stick. Pray, who keeps sticks at home? There is a bamboo cane at home, a decorative item purchased by Nandita. I am ready to send that for forensic tests. She complained to the cops at 4.30 pm claiming that I had beaten her up at 9.30 am. What made her wait for seven hours?

Are you seeking anticipatory bail?
Yes. What else can I do? Our legal system is soft on women in such cases. But I have nothing to fear. I have been in the film industry for 35 years and everyone including the spot-boys will vouch for my character. Six weeks ago, Nandita filed a criminal case against me and my ex-wife Seema Kapoor accusing us of trying to kidnap our son Ishaan. The very next day she backtracked saying she 'suspects' that we will kidnap him. That just explains her state of mind.

What transpired on August 22?
We simply had an argument. She said I had to shell out Rs 10,000 to ten girls who had tied a rakhi to my son, Ishaan. I handed over Rs 10,000. Then she said that our maid had also tied a rakhi and she had given her a mobile phone worth Rs 3,000 and she demanded that I pay for that too. I put my foot down. The next thing I knew I was accused of domestic violence. I never thought our marriage will come to such a sorry pass.

What went wrong in the marriage?
We've not been getting along for the past 15 years. We are two very different people. While my roots are absolutely rural, her tastes are very elitist. Yes, I smoke a few cigarettes and have an occasional drink. But that's it. I don't spend on expensive brands. I don't need foreign holidays. She has taken 35 holidays abroad in 15 years. She dropped in on every foreign shoot and I had to pay through my nose every time.

Nandita says you've stopped paying for household expenses. Is that true?
Rubbish! I am paying for everything in her and Ishaan's life and I am not complaining. Be it electricity bills, telephone bills, chaffeur or servants. But Nandita does not know how to control her expenses. It was her idea to sign a MOU, then I gave her joint ownership of three flats and transferred two-thirds of the contents of my bank account to her and Ishaan, but she still wants more. She refuses to sign divorce papers because she doesn't want to give away a single penny. Moreover, she always wants to be known as Mrs Om Puri.

How much has this affected Ishaan?
I try my best to keep him out of this. But he is totally under Nandita's influence. Yesterday I tried to reach him on the domestic help's phone, but I overheard him saying, 'Tell him I have a sore throat'. Now I am going to request the Court to provide me access to him on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

You were recently on a holiday with Nandita and Ishan. Pictures suggested everything was fine...
I wish it was true. I wanted to enjoy a holiday with my son but Nandita tagged along.

How has Nandita behaved during this conflict?
She is very aggressive and uses abusive language against me. She has grabbed my collar on more than one occasion. I try to remain calm and just walk out of the house. But she stands by the door blocking my way and if I try to make my way past her, she says that I am attacking her. She went to Seema's building and screamed expletives.

Would you like to stay with Seema after the divorce?
I can go and live with anybody, but first let me get out of this mess.

That doesn't answer my question.
Yes. I would like to live with Seema, I like her. But if that happens, it would happen only when I have legally parted ways with Nandita.

Nandita says you are in an adulterous relationship with Seema. Is there truth in the allegation?
At the age of 64? I can't write properly, my signature has changed because my hands shake. How will I indulge in adultery? And let me tell you Nandita is responsible for my ill health too. We were in Punjab, when I suffered a neuro problem. The doctors told her to fly me back to Mumbai/Delhi and get a spine surgery done but she ignored the doctors and did not inform me too. Was her holiday more important than my health? I got the surgery done when a doctor in Mumbai pressed the panic button but it was too late.

Have you lost out on work because of problems at home?
Workwise, I won't blame Nandita. Perhaps age has caught up with me. Also stars like Amitabh and Rishi have started doing character roles. But I did a nice film Trafficker in Bangkok recently. And I am doing a film with Spielberg.  

Marriage law: The 'Inter Continental Ballistic Missile' of a Bill

The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, approved by the Rajya Sabha on Monday, has long been pegged the 'Intercontinental Continental Ballistic Missile' (ICBM) Bill by protesting men's groups, for its inclusion of the 'Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage (IBM)' clause as a valid condition for divorce.

Virag Dhulia, a men's rights activist and head of gender studies at the Bangalore-based Confidare Research says, "The Rajya Sabha has betrayed us. We now hope the Lok Sabha MPs will not let us down." Men's groups like Dhulia's partnered with Men's Rights Association, Pune and have been protesting the Bill for months now. In December 2012 they led a rally to Jantar Mantar and courted detention on May 1, 2013 en route the Prime Minister's residence. Their objections to the Bill are that it will blindly give away property in the name of marriage, that men will stop marrying to prevent this, thus destabilizing the institution of marriage.

"Whichever country has these clauses also has supportive laws like a legalization of pre-nuptial agreements, which India doesn't have. India is cherry picking laws that suit them, which can prove disastrous. In 2011, China rolled back a law like this because men had stopped marrying and stopped buying property" Dhulia warns.

But the Bill is in fact far reaching and thought out over a period of decades. The first proposals for amendments to the Hindu Marriage Act came from the Law Commission in 1978. Two more Law Commission reports, several Supreme Court Judgements and after much debate among invested parties led by women's groups like Majlis, the Bill has been tabled.

Chakshu Roy, head of technology initiatives at PRS Legislative Research, New Delhi says, "The Law Commission and the Supreme Court have on a number of occasions recommended the inclusion of irretrievable breakdown of marriage as a ground for divorce. The Law Commission suggested that before a divorce is granted on this ground, the court should ensure adequate financial arrangements have been made for the parties and children. The Bill incorporates these suggestions and introduces this ground for divorce and makes financial provision for the wife and children."

What the Bill essentially says is that there are certain conditions based on which either the husband or wife can apply for divorce. These are cruelty, medical reasons such as communicable diseases, mental illnesses, desertion. The Bill essentially sought to correct the lacuna that arose from the need to dissolve the marriage in the eventuality that none of these stand i.e. the dissolution of marriage due to an organic breakdown.

The Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage clause allows a woman or a man to exit on the premise that she is unfulfilled or unhappy in a marriage after a three year period of separation. The wife also bears the right to block a divorce thrust upon her if she can prove she will be in grave financial hardship. The Bill will also allow the court to consider a waiver of the 6-18 month lock-in period for couples who file by mutual consent.

A huge triumph, points out activist and head of women's group Majlis, Flavia Agnes, is the Bill's determination of the compensation due to the wife. In doing so, the Bill now allows the court to take into account inherited and inheritable properties. This becomes a crucial factor in cases where husbands are able to sell off properties in their name and prove they have no assets, leaving the wife without compensation.

Men's groups protest this clause saying it allows women to divorce a man after five days and "clean him out". Agnes dismisses concerns stating that women have gotten the short end of the stick for far too long.

A lot of the debate has been ill-informed. Advocates state that the court will consider many factors while making such a decision. As any nuclear armed country knows, setting off a missile isn't so simple, there are many check points.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rajya-sabha-passes-marriage-laws-amendment-bill-2010/1/304271.html

 

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/case-against-ngo-for-forcing-woman-to-file-false-rape-case/1078735/ 

Court sentences 7 year imprisonment to woman for buying minor

A woman has been sent to jail for seven years by a Delhi court for buying two minor girls for prostitution and abetting their rapes.
Additional Sessions Judge T R Naval sentenced 30-year-old Pooja to seven years rigorous imprisonment for the crime, saying it has been proved that she purchased the minors for the purpose of prostitution, wrongfully confined them and also abetted other persons to forcefully have sexual intercourse with the girls.
"This court has come to the conclusion that entire evidence has proved that accused Pooja committed offence of buying minors for the purpose of prostitution, offence of wrongfully concealing and confining prosecutrix No. 1 and 2 (victims) and other girls after kidnapping them with the purpose to use them for the purpose of prostitution.

Court sentences 7 year imprisonment to woman for buying minor

"Therefore, it is bounden duty of this court to hold accused no.3 (Pooja) guilty and convict her," the court said.
The judge said it has been proved that she used to present the girls to many customers, who used to pay her for the purpose of physical relations.
It imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on Pooja and said that Rs 5,000 each be given to the two victim and that they will also be entitled for other compensation as per law.
Out of the two accused, Meena was declared a proclaimed offender and the court said the evidence placed on record will be read against her. Another accused Mohd Saleem was earlier convicted by the court after he had confessed his guilt.
According to the prosecution, the police conducted a raid at a house in Laxmi Nagar and at a brothel in G B Road in April 2004 and two girls were rescued. The girls told the police that they were kidnapped by the accused persons after being given a sedatives-laced drink.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/court-sentences-7-year-imprisonment-to-woman-for-buying-minor/417385-3-244.html

TMC नेता की पत्नी नकल करते पकड़ी गईं, तो कॉलेज की प्रिंसिपल और शिक्षक पिटे

देश के नेता समाज की सेवा के लिए हैं, लेकिन आए दिन उनकी दबंगई के किस्से सुनने में आ जाते हैं. ऐसा ही एक मामला पश्चिम बंगाल के दिनाजपुर जिले में इतहार के कॉलेज में सामने आया है. परीक्षा के दौरान तृणमूल कांग्रेस (टीएमसी) के एक नेता की पत्नी को नकल करते हुए पकड़ लिया गया तो पार्टी के कथित कार्यकर्ताओं ने कॉलेज की प्रिंसिपल और अन्य शिक्षकों के साथ मारपीट कर दी.
मेघनाद साहा कॉलेज की प्रिंसिपल स्वप्न मुखर्जी ने कहा कि निरीक्षकों ने बीए फर्स्ट ईयर की परीक्षा के दौरान एक महिला को नकल करते हुए पकड़ लिया. मुखर्जी ने महिला की अंसरशीट और नकल की पर्ची जब्त कर ली और कमरे से चली गईं.
जिस महिला को नकल करते हुए पकड़ा गया, वो तृणमूल कांग्रेस के नेता गौतम पाल की पत्नी हैं. सूत्रों ने बताया कि घटना के कुछ ही देर बाद बाहरी लोगों के एक समूह ने पहुंचकर महिला की कॉपी लौटाने के लिए दबाव बनाया. ये सभी तृणमूल के कार्यकर्ता थे.
प्रिंसिपल का आरोप है कि जब उनकी मांग नहीं मानी गई तो उन्होंने मुखर्जी और दो अन्य शिक्षकों पर हमला कर दिया. इनमें एक महिला टीचर थी शामिल थी. मुखर्जी ने कहा कि लिखित शिकायत तैयार करके जल्दी दाखिल की जाएगी.
घटना उस दिन घटी है जब मुख्यमंत्री ममता बनर्जी ने पार्टी की छात्र इकाई के सदस्यों से कानून अपने हाथ में नहीं लेने की नसीहत दी है.

http://aajtak.intoday.in/story/tmc-leader-s-wife-caught-cheating-college-principal-assaulted-1-740315.html

और भी... http://aajtak.intoday.in/story/tmc-leader-s-wife-caught-cheating-college-principal-assaulted-1-740315.html

 

 

Bill weathers‘anti-men’ cry

SOBHANA K.

New Delhi, Aug. 26: The Rajya Sabha today passed amendments to the divorce law but not before several male members dubbed them anti-men and an assault on “human rights”.

The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha in the last session, promises women a larger share of their husband’s property during divorce. (See chart)

Trinamul Congress member Derek O’Brien led the charge, asking: “Why empower women at the expense of men?”

He argued the bill should be made gender-neutral, giving men the same rights as women. Replace the words “wife” and “husband” in the bill with “spouse”, O’Brien said.

Samajwadi Party member Arvind Kumar Singh claimed the bill could be misused like the anti-dowry law.

“If you read this bill, it seems that husbands alone are responsible for divorce. This law is being made to enslave men. One party should not get disproportionately high benefits while the other stands to lose all,” Singh said.

While many women MPs protested against this logic, Vandana Chavan of the Nationalist Congress Party stood on the men’s side.

“There are many women who may be earning the same as their husbands or sometimes even more. We have to fight not just for women’s rights but for human rights. Why make the current generation of men suffer?” Chavan said.

Many members wanted know how unemployed husbands fared in the bill.

“If the husband has no property, does he have a right over the (wife’s) property in case of a divorce?” asked Bahujan Samaj Party member Narender Kumar Kashyap.

Bharat Kumar Raut of the Shiv Sena said the bill would bring family pressure on women not to get a divorce. “Families will think that despite couples having differences, it would be better to stay together to avoid a division of the property,” Raut said.

DMK member Kanimozhi defended the bill stoutly.

“That women will misuse the bill and use it (to seek) revenge against their husbands and mothers-in-law seems to be the dominant thought here. When we have 50 per cent women in this House, we will talk about making such bills gender-neutral,” she said.

BJP members, however, ignored the issue as they pressed their long-standing demand for a uniform civil code. Party member Najma Heputallah accused the government of ignoring the plight of the country’s Muslim women.

Law minister Kapil Sibal said the bill was obviously pro-women and would send a clear message that Parliament was on the women’s side.

“Women’s rights have to be protected. We are in a patriarchal society. Around the world, while women constitute 50 per cent of the population, they own only 2 per cent of global assets,” Sibal said.

Addressing members’ concern about unemployed husbands, Sibal said men were entitled to alimony “under Section 25 of the Hindu Marriage Act”. The bill was cleared as presented by the government.

The Rajya Sabha later discussed the Mumbai gang rape, with junior home minister R.P.N. Singh making a statement.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130827/jsp/nation/story_17277726.jsp#.Uh4seD8vfQ0 

रेप के बढ़ते मामलों के लिए मैं जिम्‍मेदार नहीं: पूनम पांडे

अपने बोल्‍ड अंदाज और उससे भी बोल्‍ड टिप्‍पणियों के लिए मशहूर विवादास्‍पद एक्‍ट्रेस और मॉडल पूनम पांडे का कहना है कि रेप के बढ़ते मामलों के लिए मुझे दोषी न ठहराएं. हाल ही में फिल्‍म नशा में जमकर अंग प्रदर्शन करने वाली पूनम इस बात से हैरान और नाराज हैं कि महिलाओं के खिलाफ बढ़ते अपराधों के लिए कुछ लोग उन्‍हें दोषी ठहरा रहे हैं.
पूनम पांडे की तस्‍वीरें, जिन्‍होंने बटोरी सुर्खियां
दरअसल इन दिनों पूनम को हर तरफ से यही सुनने को मिल रहा है कि इंटरनेट और मैगजीनों में उनकी भड़काऊ तस्वीरें महिलाओं के लिए खतरनाक साबित हो रही हैं. पूनम ने कहा कि मुंबई में महिला फोटोजर्नलिस्‍ट के साथ गैंगरेप की घटना के बाद से ही उन्हें बार-बार और लगातार खुद को दोषी मानने पर मजबूर किया जा रहा है.
पूनम ने सवालिया अंदाज में कहा, ‘मेरी तस्वीरें महिलाओं के खिलाफ हो रहे अपराधों के लिए जिम्मेदार हैं, क्या सचमुच यही बात है. दिल्ली गैंगरेप के समय भी मुझ पर इस तरह के आरोप लगाए गए थे. मैं उन सभी लोगों से एक सवाल पूछना चाहती हूं, जो मुझे इन सब के लिए दोषी मान रहे हैं कि क्या मेरे चर्चा में आने से पहले महिलाओं के खिलाफ अपराध नहीं होते थे?’
पूनम पांडे का Hot 'गुड मॉर्निंग'...
पूनम का मानना है कि लोग अपनी कमजोरियां छिपाने के लिए हमेशा कोई बलि का बकरा ढूंढते हैं. उन्होंने कहा, ‘समाज में व्याप्त बुराईयों के लिए आप मुझे दोष क्यों दे रहे हैं. मैं केवल एक लड़की हूं, जो दुनिया में अपने लिए जगह तलाश रही है. जब कानून व्यवस्था नाकाम होती है तो वे लोग किसी और को दोषी बता देते हैं. लेकिन मुझे दोष क्यों दे रहे हैं? मैंने क्या किया है?’
तस्‍वीरों में पूनम पांडे की फिल्‍म 'नशा' के मदहोश करने वाले पोस्‍टर
पूनम पहली बार चर्चा में तब आई थीं जब 2011 में क्रिकेट वर्ल्‍डकप के दौरान उन्होंने ऐलान किया था कि भारतीय टीम ट्रॉफी जीतती है, तो भारत की जीत की खुशी में वह भारतीय खिलाड़ियों के न्‍यूड होंगी.

और भी... http://aajtak.intoday.in/story/dont-blame-me-for-rapes-says-poonam-pandey-1-740278.html

 

http://aajtak.intoday.in/story/dont-blame-me-for-rapes-says-poonam-pandey-1-740278.html 

Suicide note not enough proof of abetment: Bombay HC

This is really shame on India & Indian's, when one lady dies without her suicide note it is confirmed that 498a case & legal process starts but when one Man dies with Suicide note making his in-law & wife responsible still it is not accepted by law & media, Shame! Shame!! Shame!!!

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday observed that a suicide note alone was not enough proof in a case of abetment of suicide and dismissed an appeal against acquittal in one case. In the absence of independent evidence to prove a case of abetment, Justice A H Joshi dismissed the appeal filed by the victim's family.

The judge was hearing an appeal filed by the family of a suicide victim against the acquittal. The appeal, filed last year by one Sunil Bhavsar, challenged a sessions court verdict of acquittal. His lawyer argued that it was a case in which a woman was pushed into committing suicide and that a suicide note she left behind "proved the abetment charge". She was harassed and threatened, the lawyer argued.

The case was from Nashik and the lawyer said a complaint was filed in 2010 with the Nashik police about the harassment and threats she faced that led to her eventual suicide. Hence, the abetment to suicide charge is proved, he argued and the acquittal ought to be overturned.

The state did not file an appeal. The appeal itself was dismissed, by default, by the HC earlier in March 2013 as the lawyer for the appellant had not turned up on a date when it was scheduled for a hearing.

On Tuesday, when the lawyer for the victim's family stressed on the suicide note and threats she allegedly received before the suicide, Justice Joshi said, "This is no mathematical equation, that a suicide note plus threat equals abetment...If harassment is proved, show the proof," the HC said. The judge said, "A threat to kill is not abetment. (Giving) An advice to kill is also not abetment."

In case of a suicide, higher courts have held that in each case the circumstances and evidence is crucial to decide whether there was abetment, which would involve acts by another person to actually instigate the person into committing suicide, the SC has held.

WHAT THE SC HAS HELD

"If it appears to the Court that a victim committing suicide was hypersensitive to ordinary petulance, discord and difference in domestic life quite common to the society to which the victim belonged and such petulance, discord and difference were not expected to induce a similarly circumstanced individual in a given society to commit suicide, the conscience of the Court should not be satisfied for basing a finding that the accused charged of abetting the offence of suicide should be found guilty." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Suicide-note-not-enough-proof-of-abetment-Bombay-HC/articleshow/22108153.cms?intenttarget=no 

Samajwadi Party MLA from Uttar Pradesh held in Goa 'dance bar'

PANAJI/LUCKNOW: Revelry at a birthday bash on a Goa beach hotel and creating a dance bar ambience with women imported from Delhi has landed UP Samajwadi Party legislator Mahendra Kumar Singh behind bars. Singh was arrested along with five others on Monday night after Goa police busted the party being attended by the 55-year-old MLA.

All the arrested were booked under Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act and remanded in police custody for six days.

Police said officers who raided the terrace party at Viva hotel in Campal found six women performers dancing to loud music. As the police team entered, the women locked themselves in a room, raising suspicion, said Goa police inspector Rajendra Prabhudesai. Singh, a four-time MLA ,is the son-in-law of veteran SP leader Bhagwati Singh.

Samajwadi Party does not rush to its MLA's defence

The MLA from Sitapur in central UP, who represents Sevta assembly seat, flew into Goa along with his friends on Sunday and was staying in Candolim beach.

Singh said he was being singled out for harsh treatment. "Dance programmes take place everywhere in Goa and police do not arrest anyone. I arrived in Goa on August 24 and yesterday I had gone to Panaji to visit a casino. There I received a call from my friend, inviting me for a birthday party which I went to attend," he told TOI at the police station. He said he had reached barely half an hour before the cops showed up.

His party, however, didn't rush to defend him. SP spokesperson and senior minister Rajendra Chaudhary said, "Whatever we have come to know about the MLA is through the media. The party is in the process of collecting relevant details."

Singh's family initially feigned ignorance but later his son, Pawan Kumar Singh, said his father was on a business trip to Mumbai. "He is a four-time MLA and his reputation cannot be blemished. Somebody is trying to tarnish his image," he said. Singh has been an MLA since 1996. He represented Behta between 1996 and 2007 and won from Sevta when the name changed after delimitation.

Police said what aroused suspicion was that the girls didn't know each other and it appeared that they had been arranged by different persons for the evening.

"If the girls had been part of a troupe or orchestra, they would have known each other well and would not run for cover. The girls behaved suspiciously," a police source said.

Cops said four of the six girls were from Delhi and all had been sent to a women's shelter. There are no dance bars at any Goa hotel and those at Viva had arranged the programme on the terrace. "The loud music disturbed residents in the area, prompting Cumbharjua Congress MLA Pandurang Madkaikar to call the police," a source said.  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Samajwadi-Party-MLA-from-Uttar-Pradesh-held-in-Goa-dance-bar/articleshow/22108979.cms 

INSAAF (Indian Social Awareness and Activism Forum

Press release marriage Amendment bill

http://www.scribd.com/doc/163488811/INSAAF-Press-Release-on-Marriage-Law-Amendment-Bill-2010

Businessman kills self, in-laws booked

GURGAON: A 35-year-old businessman committed suicide here after accusing his wife and her parents of harassing him, police said on Tuesday. Six people from his wife's family were charged with abetment to suicide.

Amit Garg, a resident of Mandi Govindgarh in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib district, took poison and died here on Monday.

The coal businessman, who got married in February this year, had come to Gurgaon to meet his maternal uncle.

"Amit consumed poison at his uncle's house in Kendriya Vihar. He was rushed to a hospital and died during treatment," police official Pradeep Singh told IANS.

"The deceased left a suicide note blaming his wife and her parents for his extreme step," Singh said.

"I was badly harassed by my wife and his family. I have no other option but to end my life," the suicide note read.  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/Businessman-kills-self-in-laws-booked/articleshow/22098937.cms 

MEN Killer PRS IrBM proposed in 2013

http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Marriage%20Laws/comparison%20Marriage%20Laws.pdf

Rajya Sabha Debate on Marriage Amendment Bill - 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8XMAYGAxa0

'Wife conspires with lover to kill husband in Mysore'

MYSORE: A wife and her lover have been arrested for conspiring to kill her husband in Mysore recently.
Metagalli police said Bhavya of Mandya district and her lover Raghavendra have been arrested on charges of killing Bhavya's husband Nagappa Kattimani previous week. The incident came to light a day after Nagappa was cremated.
Inspector H R Vivekananda told TOI that Bhavya and Raghavendra conspired to eliminate Nagappa, a mason, as he was bothering Bhavya after he came to know their alleged love affair. As per plan, Raghavendra took Nagappa to a liquor shop and consumed liquor heavily at Nagappa's native Shyadnalli on August 15. Later, he took him near Varuna canal and pushed him inside around 10.30pm.
Bhavya who was aware of this remained silent and on the next day, August 16, she made a hue and cry that her husband Nagappa who went for nature call on the morning has been missing. Later, she pretended that her husband may have fallen into the canal. Following the incident, a bunch of villagers launched a search for his body voluntarily and later found his body a kilometre away from the spot on August 18. The same day he was cremated without alerting cops.
But a day after cremation, a section of villagers' suspected foul play and then Bhavya spilled the beans that she had conspired in killing her husband. Later, Nagappa's brother Chenappa Kattimani lodged a police complaint.
Bhavya and Raghavendra who were arrested on Tuesday have been remanded to police custody. Nagappa leaves behind a son and daughter aged 3years and 6 years respectively.
This is second such incident in Mysore wherein wife had conspired with lover to kill husband over their love affair in the last two years. Similarly, Rekha conspired with her lover Umesh to kill her lecturer-husband Ravi in August 2011.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Wife-conspires-with-lover-to-kill-husband-in-Mysore/articleshow/21959912.cms?intenttarget=no 

Bill to negate Supreme Court verdict gets Rajya Sabha nod

NEW DELHI: Contending that there was a need to check growing "criminalisation" in politics, Rajya Sabha on Tuesday "unanimously passed" a bill negating a Supreme Court verdict to allow people in jail to contest polls.


Representation of the People (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2013 provides for a change in the act of 1951. The amendment to sub-clause 5 of section 62 of the RPA, if passed by Parliament, shall come into effect from July 10, 2013, the day the Supreme Court gave its judgement that those in jail can not contest election.

"The fact is that the political class is the most accountable class in the country. Politicians are accountable to Parliament, to the Election Commission, to the country, to the people, to whom we go every after five years. We are the most accountable set of people in the country," Law minister Kapil Sibal said in his reply after a discussion on the bill.

"It is we who have passed the law to make us accountable. It is us who have decided to disclose our assets. Which other institution has taken such steps to make themselves more accountable," he said.

Sibal, who was congratulated by all members for bringing the Bill, said the apex court's order might perhaps not have come had the "environment" been different.

"I dare say, in an another environment, we perhaps would not get such a judgement. The environment is that political class is being looked upon with suspicion," Sibal said.

After examining the Supreme Court order, Government had filed a review petition, but instead of waiting for the outcome, it felt the need to "suitably" address the situation.  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bill-to-negate-Supreme-Court-verdict-gets-Rajya-Sabha-nod/articleshow/22097825.cms 

Men's rights activists hope Lok Sabha won't okay 'husband killer law'

The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, dubbed as a husband killer law by men’s rights activists, was approved by the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Men’s rights groups who have been staging nationwide protests and holding debates on the issue say they will continue to meet with lawmakers to persuade them not to pass the bill in the Lok Sabha.

Virag Dhulia, a leading men’s rights activist, told rediff.com that they were trying to establish communication with members of Parliament on the subject. “We are telling them about the problems this bill would cause as the male in general is the stakeholder in this draconian law. We are trying to tell them what changes ought to be made to this bill and how, if it gets presidential assent, it would become a disaster. We hope our lawmakers would take into consideration all this and not to pass bills merley keeping in mind vote bank politics.”
Among other things the Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill empowers the courts to decide the compensation amount for the wife and children from the husband’s inherited and inheritable properties once the marriage ends legally. The Bill allows parties to file for divorce on the ground of “irretrievable breakdown” of marriage. Both parties have to live apart for at least three years before filing such a petition.
Dhulia points out, “Basically the hard-earned money and property of the man will not belong to him” once this Bill becomes law.
The Bill also provides for restricting the grant of a decree of divorce if the court is satisfied that adequate provision for maintenance of the children has not been made consistent with the financial capacity of the parties to the marriage.
Also, the wife has the right to oppose the grant of divorce on the ground that the dissolution of marriage could result in grave financial hardship, but no such provision has been made for the husband. “Law Minister Kapil Sibal has totally ignored the National Crime Records Bureau data which states that every year more than 65,000 married men end their lives,” the activists point out.
As per the Bill’s statement of objectives, the Hindu Marriage Act and the Special Marriages Act have proved to be inadequate in dealing with cases where there has been an irretrievable breakdown of marriage and hence it was decided to amend the law. Even the Supreme Court had pointed out the need to introduce ‘irretrievable breakdown of marriage’ and ‘mutual consent’ as grounds for granting divorce in order to reduce litigation and to enable both parties move on in their life.
What Sibal failed to take into consideration was how such a law would reduce litigation when cases filed by women under the dowry and harassment laws and child custody are not decided at the time of issuing a divorce decree, the activists point out.

http://www.rediff.com/news/report/mens-rights-activists-hope-lok-sabha-wont-okay-husband-killer-law/20130827.htm?sc_cid=fbshare