VIJAYAWADA: A political party for the ‘Bharya Bhaditulu’ is in the offing. G Balaji, president of Bharya Bhaditula Sangham – an organisation started in 2010 as a campaign against misuse of Section 498A of IPC which deals with a “husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty” – announced his plan to float a political party on the same plank at a meeting conducted in Vijayawada on Sunday.
The meet was attended by 50 people from various professions and backgrounds; many of them, who claim to have been victims of the abuse of the law, poured out their woes, signalling support to the political chapter of the Sangham.
Claiming to be one such victim himself, Balaji told TNIE his wife had filed a cruelty case against him and his father who was in a debilitated state after undergoing a heart surgery in 2008.
This motivated him for setting up the party, he said. He was jailed for three days. Upon his release, he witnessed a procession of Left activists against him, who staged a dharna outside his house in Pentapadu, Tadepalligudem.
Though the issue fizzled out, he was ‘disturbed’ enough to start a social movement against the ‘injustice’ done to him and many others like him.
The Sangham was of the opinion that there is a need to raise voice against misuse of the said law. A government employee, who did not wish to be named, told TNIE that his wife who worked for the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation filed a ‘false case’ against him, which left him and his children deeply disturbed.
Two lawyers from the city, Pitchuka Srinivas and AS Ram Prasad, during the meet said Section 498A was widely being misused by women to ‘settle petty scores’. “The police are still mechanically registering cases and sending hapless husbands to prison, who are actually innocent. There is no prior investigation or counselling,” said Ram Prasad.
On September 13, the SC ruled that Family Welfare Committees be set up in each state and any arrest must be made only after prior investigation by the Committees.
Set up family welfare panels in every state: SC
On September 13, the Supreme Court ruled that Family Welfare Committees be set up in every state and any arrest made must be done only after prior investigation by the Committees and after approval from the District Magistrate.
The apex court in the judgment said courts are there to protect harassed husbands and their relatives, who are not connected to matrimonial cruelty