Legal Terrorism at its zenith

Mr. Gurpal Singh, a resident of Delhi, recently suffered a heavy personal loss in his life, with his father suffering from a heart attack. The reason the old man died an unnatural death was his daughter –in – law threatening to file cases based on false allegations of dowry harassment and related torture. His daughter-in-law had occupied his own house and thrown them out form their own home one year back and subsequently, his father and mother have to make rounds of the court/police to get back their own home, which failed till date. They even had to spend nights at "Gurudwara" in spite of his own home he made for his old time. Unable to bear the burden of a false allegation of a crime as grave as ‘Dowry Harassment’ and the associated stigma and social ostracization, Gurpal’s father succumbed to the pressure.

Every year 70, 000 cases of dowry harassment are filed and if the data compiled by Centre for Social Research is anything to go by, 98 % of such cases are false, void of merit and filed with an adverse motive of extortion, revenge and an intention of settling petty marital discords. In the last four years 95, 000 innocent women have been arrested solely on the base of allegations of dowry harassment, without any trial being ever conducted. When such a case comes to the police station or any so – called women’s organization, the first thing done is to take the whole family into the ambit of suspicion, without verification of the complaint, including small children and senior citizens, and pregnant sisters.

In case a woman dies within seven years of her marriage, the death is viewed with suspicions of dowry related harassment as a de – facto standard and the whole family of the in – laws are thrust into the prison and denied bail. Such fears have risen to such alarmingly high levels in the society that even the mention of such a threat to file a case can drive any person into deep wells of fear and uncertainty. Gurpal’s father also was going through the same mental phase and not being able to take the pressure, suffered from an emotional breakdown and a son lost his father in the most crucial period of his life.

It is highly disheartening to see the pathetic state men and their families are in currently in the society. Living constantly in a fear of false allegations being leveled against them and washing their lives in a whiff of a moment, some commit suicides, some give way to biological irregularities while more others are compelled to give in to unreasonable, unjustified and illogical demands in lieu of not filing a case. Is the value of a man’s life less than the value of a woman’s life, so much so that the society considers taking their lives as ‘Social Service’ and does not feel any need to take some steps to improve conditions. The daughter – in – law of Gurpal’s father is responsible for his sad demise, and charges of abetment of suicide need to be leveled against her and such a blatant misuse of laws deems punishment. Such acts fall no short of Legal Terrorism.

Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF) an NGO committed to the cause of spreading awareness of this ongoing Legal Terrorism in the society and helping its victims, seeks to demand police intervention in Gurpal’s father’s sad demise and book the offenders for the crimes committed. A man’s life is not to be wasted like this making it a price of unleashing Legal Terrorism and such a loss needs to be compensated with timely justice. It would be absolutely mandatory to reiterate here that as per National Crime Records Bureau’s Data, every year close to 75, 000 men end their lives in suicide, more than double the number of women, yet men have no protection from the law. In addition to that they are subjected to wide and blatant false allegations and victimized under highly biased legal system plagued with lopsided laws.

Gender biased and draconian laws formed on the basis of highly bloated statistics are coming under high scathing as increasingly they are becoming tools to exercise unwarranted power and control. To add to it they have become legal channels of tax - free money extortion sponsored from tax payers’ hard earned money. SIFF condemns such laws and urges the government to take drastic and timely steps to avoid a social catastrophe turning a civilized society into a jungle of state sponsored Legal Terrorism snuffing lives out of innocent citizens in the dusky days.

Unfortunately if this had been the Father of a girl, all channel would had flashed the News, an old father ends his life for Dowry harassment and the husband's father/mother/sisters/child would havae been put behind the bars, but cases such as these always go un-reported, resulting in more and more elder people loosing their life silently, which it seems that not only the government authorities our media friends also believe to be considered as *"Social service of India" as the DIL killed the FIL.

The Trust and the Faith

All the characters referred to in the below blog are fictitious and bear no resemblance with anyone living or dead whatsoever. Any co-incidence is purely co-incidental and unintentional.

For first time readers, please refer to the post, “The Revelation” for continuity.

Jignesh was moving faster than his heartbeats. Having confessed to her, now he was feeling very light, realizing the fact that now Jahnavi knew the reality and will not have a false image of him. Truth always gave him the strength to endure, but the fact remained that he had to endure separation from Jahnavi as well. He was feeling very heavy, he called up Sid.

Tring Tring.
Sid’s cell rings. For the first time, Sid was not sure, why did Jignesh call up at this hour.

Sid: “Hello.”
Jignesh: “Hey what’s up buddy, where are you?”
Sid: “I will be home in another five minutes. Tell me what’s the matter, you sound a bit wary, everything’s fine I guess.”
Jignesh: “Yeah, can we meet for studies today?”
Sid: “Why not, come over?”
Jignesh: “OK, I will be there by 8 pm.”
Sid: “OK, we will have dinner together, I will tell mom. Will be waiting. Bye.”
Jignesh: “Bye.”

Jahnavi, on the other hand, was revering the fact that Jignesh confessed to her and now she knew many things. Even though she knew he was not a real moron, yet she had found something fishy in his behavior while performing a debacle and while covering it up. There were debatable trends of questionable variety in his behavioral patterns, something which depicted a logical inconsistency, but now things were clearing up. He used to act moronic to maintain a distance from girls sans substance, but at the same time he liked Jahnavi and would get disappointed at his debacles and would then look forward to Sid’s help. She was indeed thankful to Sid that he had helped Jignesh and never boasted of it. For this, she looked up to Sid.

Ting Tong.
Sid’s doorbell rang.
Sid: “Hey man, what’s up? Come on in. I must salute your punctuality. Dinner is ready; we will finish that and then sit for study. That should be fine?”
Jignesh: “You are seldom wrong .”

They hurriedly finished the dinner and then went to the study room. Sid was quick to note, there were certain things waiting to come out, but he thought pushing would not be a good idea. But his curiosity was getting the better of him as he knew it had to be only one matter.

Sid: “What are you studying?”
Jignesh: “Cardio-vascular system.”
Sid: “Which part?”
Jignesh: “Oxygenated and De-Oxygenated blood circulation between the lungs and the heart.”
Sid: “Hmmm, and what about the source of Oxygen?”
Jignesh: “Means?”

Sid smiled. He loved confusing Jignesh in life and Biology. He was a master at both. He knew the iron was hot now and this was the time for the hammer to descend.

Sid: “What is the matter, dude?”

Jignesh knew the secret was out and hated Sid for his excellence.

Jignesh: “I told Jahnavi about you, how you had helped me in those situations.”
Sid: “What??????????????? And how did she react?”
Jignesh: “She was pondering over what I said. Did not speak a word with me. I came out from there as her silence was killing me.”

Sid was not able to comprehend, what on earth had compelled Jignesh to tell Jahnavi about Sid. Now she will think Jignesh is of no use. A Good-for-Nothing fellow. He felt all his efforts going down the drain. How sincerely I was trying that these two souls can come closer and establish a never-ending relationship. He thought.

Sid: “Are you nuts? Why the hell you told her all this?”
Jignesh: “Sid, I will be indebted to you the whole life, for the help you have extended selflessly to me. Initially I liked her as she was different from the other girls around. Her beauty was not skin deep. Slowly my attraction increased exponentially and you know what, secretly I used to wish for a debacle to happen as it gave me another chance to speak to her. Of course, that second chance would not have been successful without your help, buddy. And we became acquaintances, and then friends, then good friends, then close friends and then some steps ahead of what we call “JUST FRIENDS”. We had started realizing each other’s worth and importance and had started developing a sense of respect for each other. She also realized that I was not a real moron and was surprised knowing that I had managed to be-friend her on my own after all those debacles. This was partly true; she has to know the truth. I cannot continue in the relationship with a false image about me. If I lie now once today, I will have to keep lying until I screw up the relationship and a few lives. It’s like a shirt’s button, if one button goes out of line, all the others follow suit and the rectification has to be at the first button going awry. I know she will be upset knowing the truth, but she is mature, understanding and knows me as a person and will realize. I have faith in her; she will come back to me.”

Sid was taken aback, was he talking to the same Jignesh, the moron, the bio-geek who used to come to him after every debacle. He realized Jignesh was a master-piece of a human being. Sid thought, I just knew how to talk to a girl and I was probably too generic in my approach as well, but Jignesh is far too excellent then me in handling relationships and understanding the far-reaching consequences of a long-lasting relationship.

Sid: “Dude, you have surprised me today like anything. I salute you for the mature sense of understanding you have just displayed. And trust me, going by my analysis of Jahnavi I can say that she is mature enough to know the REAL YOU. She will definitely come back to you. Just give her some time and wait for her call.”

Jignesh saw his cell phone and froze to deaths.
Jignesh: “Jesus, the cell battery did not get a better time to die out. Do you have a charger?”
Sid: “Seems like you have some hard luck today. Mine is Reliance phone you know, Dad has a Nokia charger but that broke in the morning itself, so he’s too charging the cell in the office. Let’s get back to studies, will see tomorrow.”

Jignesh grinned and went back to study. Now he knew he won’t even know if she tried to contact him. If she actually did, the possibility of which looked remote to him, then more troubles were waiting for him as she always used to tell him to be particular about charging the cell phone and he was careless in this matter and with today’s confession, a dead cell battery was the last thing he expected to happen.

The Vodafone number you are trying to call is switched off.
Jahnavi: “Why is his cell switched off? Must have forgotten to charge his cell. These guys never listen. The more you tell them, the more they act stupid and careless. Oh Lord, can’t you grant some wisdom to these morons?”

Mom: “What happened sweetheart? Whom are you cursing?”

Jahnavi felt embarrassed at being caught. She warded off the topic saying that it was about a friend whose cell phone was switched off and she urgently needed some college notes. I will have to tell mom sooner or later, can’t hide for long. She called again, switched off. Now how long do I have to wait before that stupid realizes that he has to charge his cell phone? Thinking she went inside her study room.