Solve my marital discord or delete me from voters list: Telangana woman
HYDERABAD: As Hyderabad gears up for its first elections since State formation, there have been all kinds of stories where voters have put the candidates in the dock with their power to vote, but this particular voter has put her right to franchise up for grabs for whoever brings resolution to her marital discord.
V Swarupa Rani after trying multiple means of going to court, approaching the police and speaking with community elders, has now resorted to threatening to not vote if the authorities do not help her resolve the property disputes with her husband. She, for the last two days, has been sitting on a dharna outside her estranged husband’s house in Ashok Nagar demanding maintenance and property rights.
“I got married 20 years ago but my husband stayed with me for starting seven years, after which he left us to fend for ourselves. He then had an illegal relationship with another woman. He abused me a lot after I caught them and they threw me out of the home. I somehow raised my children with the support of my family but now it has been too much a struggle and we want our due property rights,” says Swarupa sitting with placards reading ‘delete me from voters list’
Swarupa’s brother Vidya Sagar adds that his sister turned suicidal after exhausting all their options. “We went to She Team and Bharosa centre where they tried counselling him but he never showed up. We thought of telling the Basti leaders but they were helpless. We are now contemplating going the legal route but we can’t afford those costs,” he adds.
They are now putting their issues onto the political leaders. “We approached the MLA of the area but he failed to respond. Now we are on an indefinite strike and whoever will resolve our demands, we will vote for them. Because only a true leader will not leave even one voter behind,” added Swarupa. She says her family would not vote and commit suicide if the leaders fail to address her issues. “If a woman is cheated and forced to come on the road and no leader shows the courage to help her and listen to her, then we rather not trust democracy and vote,” added Swarupa.