New Delhi: Indian women live in "dangerously self-embracing situations" and only stringent legislation like the new law on domestic violence can provide them physical, emotional and monetary protection, says Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury.
In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN's Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate, Chowdhury justified the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, a path-breaking law that came into effect last month. "Women live in dangerously self-embracing situations. Even if you see it as a ferocity in the act or (claim) the ambit is too wide, please understand that women are burnt to death, beaten to insensitivity."
The minister dismissed criticism that the law would be misused. "Because of a minute percentage of people who misappropriate an act, are you saying I should not bring an act? I should be in denial that women are not domestically harassed, that they are not killed, removed from their homes, denied access to their children, to their own earnings and that they have no recourse to law?"
She said the law is intended "to set a direction for a certain societally accepted behaviour" and has laid out "broader parameters" to tackle crimes against women.
The act seeks to protect women from all forms of domestic violence and check harassment and exploitation at the hands of family members or relatives. It came into effect on October 29.
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"The law is not a static issue. The law reflects the need for a society to be given direction. We have put in broad parameters and we will see in which direction the law goes," the minister added.
Countering the criticism over the clause that includes insult and ridicule as a form of violence against women, Chowdhury said: "What you deem as silly is really not something I've created today. Under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), speaking in a vein that is denigrating to the status of women, which removes her from her dignity, is very much an act (offence) under the IPC.
"So I don't see what you are getting het (heated) up about today. I don't think anything that happens today in the sense of domestic violence can be termed as silly. It's over-trivialising and over-simplifying this act."
She continued: "Please understand, despite all the checks, women are burnt. One in six women is raped, murdered, beaten to death, sent into mental asylums. I don't think that is funny."
When questioned about the clause that provides the divorced wives and former girlfriends the right of residence in their former husband's or partner's home, Chowdhury explained: "Because a woman is removed from her house - she is threatened, forced, coerced and then you have an ex-parte divorce ... I cannot accept every divorce has been examined on the merits of the case..."
"I am empowering my women (with) the right to access the dignity to their life. If they have been denied justice in other fora, if they have been given an ex-parte divorce in their absence, if they have had no money to go and appeal in the courts and they are denied their rights and if the husband suddenly declares he's bankrupt and won't give them alimony," she added.
Watch the complete interview with Renuka Chowdhury on Devil's Advocate on Sunday, 2030 hrs (IST) on CNN-IBN. The transcript will be available on IBNLive.com
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