We are Victims; not Vamps.
Colaba resident plans to appeal in HC after lower court rules against her due to lack of evidence
By Ram Parmar
An 80-year-old widow has alleged that her daughter-in-law assaulted her, resulting in a broken finger, and barred her from her own Colaba flat. The widow filed a suit in March 2009, but the judgement went against her. She now plans to appeal in High Court.
Diana Demello, 81, accused her daughter-in-law Carol of throwing her out of her flat in Esperanca building at Colaba in 2004. Since then Diana has been living at Vasai with her 77-year-old maid.
Diana has four children, three settled in US, while a son Darryl is in the Merchant Navy and is married to Carol. Diana’s husband died in the 80s.
How it began
 |
| Diana Demello |
Diana said trouble began in March 2004, when her 96-year-old mother expired in Goa. When Diana returned from Goa, she was denied entry to her Colaba flat by Carol, who she alleges assaulted her, breaking a finger. “I complained to the Colaba police, but was not pleased with the manner in which they treated the case,” said Diana. “Despite being a senior citizen, I was denied justice.”
As her children were abroad, Diana decided to leave Colaba and stay at Vasai where she had already purchased a flat. “I settled there and informed Darryl about Carol’s behaviour. But the trouble continued.
(more…)
Tags: broken finger, demello, goa, having an affair, mental torture, merchant navy, old maid, old mother, senior citizen, vasai
| Section 498A is so frequently abused, it should be made bailable |
| Odeal D’Souza |
| On the occasion of the 100th International Women’s Day on Monday, a group of women refrained from celebrations. What inspired the protest of the All -India Mother-in-Law Protection Forum? Odeal D’Souza spoke with Nena Dhulia, president of the forum, which also opposes the proposal for 33% reservation of seats in Parliament for women.
Why are you opposing women’s reservation bill?
The problem is with the stubborn old alpha male politicians, not with the Constitution. The bill is likely to do no good to women who are powerless; even a reservation such as the one currently being debated will not assure them of political representation. Until there is greater recognition of their rights and better education of women, this kind of law will make no change. The reservation of seats will enable women from more dominant sections of society to enter Parliament, and they are likely to represent their own groups, rather than women in general.
If the bill becomes a law, it will sabotage the political careers of some able men, who are just as capable of representing women as women themselves. Also, the seats that are reserved are likely to change, so continuous political attachment to one constituency will be marred, whether the candidate is male or female.
(more…) |
Tags: better education, bill becomes a law, indian penal code, legal changes, male politicians, mothers in law, political careers, political representation, representing women, reservation bill
| Written by Odeal D’Souza.
Bangalore: |
| Odd voices of resentment struck a discordant note during the euphoric eve of International Women’s Day celebrations here on Sunday. Aggrieved mothers-in-law and husbands staged a candlelight vigil in protest against the violence allegedly perpetrated by daughters-in-law.
The protestors, belonging to the All India Mother-In-Law Protection Forum, Save Indian Family Foundation and Family Harmony Society, shouted slogans during the protest that lasted for an hour and a half in front of the Gandhi statue on MG Road.
(more…) |
Tags: Bahu, candlelight vigil, Daughter-in-Law, daughters in law, discordant note, domestic violence, domestic violence act, dowry, false allegations, family foundation, family harmony, family health survey, gandhi statue, Government, harmony society, Indian Family, mg road, mother-in-law, mothers in law, reservation bill, Saas, social forum, Society, violence against women, Women's Rights
Mumbai: A magistrates court recently acquitted a man and his aged parents in a case of cruelty to wife under section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code.The court held that the young wife,who made these allegations of cruelty and harassment over dowry,could not substantiate them.
It was a routine trial for the lawyers,but for the mother-in-law charged of abuse and harassment,the acquittal was a vindication of sorts.The 62-year-old woman felt she had come out of a nightmare.She is not alone,many others feel hurt and at the mercy of the legal process once their daughters-in-law or sisters-in-law initiate a criminal case against them under section 498-A.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) says that between 2004 and 2007,1.2 lakh women were arrested for an offence under section 498-A,the section many men find draconian,but which aims at preventing torture of helpless wives over dowry.
This Womens Day,a group of women and men have come together as Mothers and Sisters of Husbands against Abuse of Law (MASHAAL) to protest the misuse of section 498-A.The group is part of a local NGO,Indian Family Foundation,which aims tackle the abuse of law.
(more…)
Tags: alleged victim, bread winner, crime records, daughters in law, dialysis treatment, dowry, extreme step, indian penal code, mashaal, medical grounds, national crime, ncrb, studying law, timely intervention, young wife
PRESS RELEASE
Sub: Announcing candle light protest by AIMPF on eve of International Women’s Day.
All India Mother-in-Law Protection Forum (AIMPF) is the first ever social forum created to protect the rights and interests of the mother-in-law. It is a non-funded non-profit organization which is creating awareness about the problems faced by mothers-in-law and also fights against their de-facto villainous projection in the socio-legal arena. It can be reached at http://www.aimpf.org. This forum was created on 6th September 2009 in Bangalore and very soon grew into Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Nagpur, Lucknow, Chhattisgarh, Guwahati, etc. with more than 1000 members.
On March 7th 2010, on the eve of International Women’s Day 2010, AIMPF, is conducting a candle light protest from 6 PM to 7: 30 PM on M G Road in front of Gandhi Statue. This protest is being held to create awareness about the plight of mothers-in-law who are abused by not only their daughters-in-law and their parents but also by the society, judiciary, and the laws. AIMPF also opposes the enactment of iVAWA – International Violence against Women Act – in India. It will further spread male hatred and pamper family breaking women at the expense of devout and sincere women who take a pride in taking care of their family members rather than dragging them to court for vexatious and baseless litigations.
(more…)
Tags: 99s, 9d, candle light, daughters in law, feminists, gandhi statue, international women s day, legal arena, litigations, mother-in-law, mothers in law, social forum, violence against women, violence against women act, young wives
