Proposing men's commissions

Free Thinker *

When a woman is harassed or tortured or stalked or even improperly stared, she can seek justice/protection through the State Women's Commission or the National Commission for Women or Meira-Paibis (Women Activists) if she feels that the police will remain indifferent and judicial process is too slow.

Quite often women go straight to the Women Commission because they want to avoid the police hassles and judicial delays. Just by filing a complaint in the Commission the alleged culprit is summoned and grilling and drilling process starts. There will be a lot of publicity and fanfare if the case is high profile, meaning honchos are involved.

We are told that the women are perennially educated with all the laws and rules which can be used against their counterparts or culprits. There is nothing wrong about it. But the laws must be used in a judicious manner. Rampant misuse of harsh laws causes chaos in the society. In the last few years many people are allegedly booked by invoking dowry laws or sexual harassment laws etc.

A man was charged and booked for rape and later on it came out to be a case of live-in relationship which had turned bitter. Lawyers like me having a do-key degree though from a prestigious University don't understand what law ought to be applied in such a situation. Whether the woman should be punished for the wrongful and fabricated complaint (which she had withdrawn later on). In any case the man had a horrible time during the pendency of the case.

A physically weak man (husband) is terribly bitten by his wife for spending his own money in gambling; where should he go? if he goes to the police they will laugh at him, rather he will be booked for gambling. He can't afford a lawyer to file a case of cruelty against his wife. And there is no local Meira Paibas (male activists) for delivering justice. Under such hapless condition men folk desperately need a Men's Commission for the protection and promotion of their basic rights.

If a man is molested by a group of women where should he go for justice except going to a hospital for treatment? There was a true story about a helpless gentleman. In a cold January night a man came back home from a new year party, on his way home he was caught by the local Meira Paibis (women activists); they found foul smell (alcoholic) from him and they decided to punish the gentleman; he tried to run away but he was badly grabbed by four women; finally he was asked to have a dip in the local community pond . When he refused to do so, he was thrown into the chilly water. The gentleman was so magnanimous that he asked whether he could have a back- stroke swim.

Another heart breaking incident took place in a village where a 70 year old bachelor was having an affair with a 40 years old widow. They wanted to get married and start a new life. Unfortunately local women activists objected to the proposal on the pretext that the man was too old. For making such a proposal he was ostracized and his house was dismantled. Under such circumstances where should the man go for justice? He went to the police and the police registered a case of mob-violence and nothing happened. Only the local MLA gave him some money to repair and reconstruct his house. But nobody cared about his broken heart.

A Muslim pensioner, he was compelled to sleep outside his house by his two wives and children as he was trying to marry another woman. In summer it is fine to sleep outside but during winter it is too cold to sleep outside. Where should he go? Will the police entertain his case? It is high time to have a Commission for men.

Women were suppressed or harassed for ages through traditional/customary practices prescribed by beliefs & religious scriptures. We feel sorry about that. But in the name of redressing old social evils the modern laws are enacted which are extraordinarily partial in favor of women.

For instance the present adultery law; if a man and woman (both married) are caught in an adulterous relation, only the man is punishable; this is highly obnoxious. Another highly bias law is the anti-dowry law; any married woman can put her husband and all her in-laws behind bars at one stroke. Sexual harassment law is again extremely prejudiced; if the woman says something it is treated as gospel truth. In jurisprudence it is truly ridiculous.

In the name of gender justice we are living in a very precarious world; even the Supreme Court and High Court judges are suffering from such one-sided laws. One high profile IPS officer faced ignominy on sexual harassment charge because he inadvertently touched a lady officer in a party. You can't talk about the brinjals and bananas in front of ladies as it amounts to sexual harassment.

We are terribly worried about the laws which are virtually arbitrary and which go beyond the spirit of gender equality. Seriously, we need the attention of the law-makers to look into the laws which are scrupulously female oriented and blatantly male bias and to bring about necessary amendments accordingly.

It is scientifically proven umpteen times that females are superior to their male counterparts in all respects except physically. In terms of IQ, EQ, will-power, determination, patience, perseverance, longevity etc. women are far superior to men. It is high time to ponder seriously how to protect 'mankind'.

A female boss often calls her male colleagues MCPs (male chauvinistic pigs). They feel hurt and harassed, but where to go? Police shall not entertain their case and there is no internal Committee or external Commission to redress such issue. It proves the indispensability of Men's Commission at the State as well as at the National level.

Am I braying like a male jingoist?