PRESS RELEASE: SIFF Calls for a Peaceful Protest March Demanding Rollback of Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill 2010 (IrBM).

PRESS RELEASE

Subject: SIFF Calls for a Peaceful Protest March Demanding Rollback of Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill 2010 (IrBM).

Theme of the Protest:

The theme of this protest is to register Strong Protest against the Marriage Law Amendment Bill (2010), commonly known as IrBM (Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage) OR No-Fault Divorce. It is a common practice to ask men to make huge financial payment to his wife when a marriage breaks. The same injustice to men is now being extrapolated by this new Bill which incentivizes a Wife to take Divorce for NO FAULT of the Husband with minimum 50% of his owned / acquired / inherited / inheritable / moveable / immoveable Properties. Often, the man is implicated in false cases in order to coerce him towards a settlement. Even the state machinery is hand-in-glove with the wife in this financial extortion of men.

1. SIFF being men’s rights organization identifies such abuse of men as a violation of the human rights of men. It vehemently objects to men being forced to pay huge and hefty Property or amounts to end marriages.

2. SIFF vehemently opposes upcoming laws like Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill which talks of giving away at least 50% of the property owned by husbands at the time of divorce apart from possible division of other properties like inherited, gifted, acquired properties.

3. SIFF also opposes all forms of pressures being put on a man to cough out huge alimonies and maintenance including the existing maintenance laws (Domestic Violence Act, Section 125 CrPC).

4. Such laws act as a great motivator for a woman to marry and break the marriage in order to enrich herself at the cost of the man (her husband).

SIFF Demands Exclusive Litigation Clause to be introduced in Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill

From:
Coordinator, Save Indian Family Foundation

Bangalore

To,

Dr. Manmohan Singh

Honorable Prime Minister of India

Subject: SIFF Demands Exclusive Litigation Clause to be introduced in Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill

Respected Sir,

Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF) is a non-profit non-funded NGO creating awareness about men’s problems and concerns and sensitizing the society about men’s rights. SIFF takes pride in its expertise in providing guidance and coaching to men facing crisis situation in their marriages, especially in extravagant situations like men facing false cases of dowry harassment (498A), Domestic Violence Act, maintenance cases etc.

Brief Background:

We have been following up the ongoing debate in the media and Govt. circles about an upcoming law, Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2010 which seeks to introduce a new ground for divorce in the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and Special Marriage Act, 1957 – The Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage Ground providing for a quick no-fault divorce after three years of separation.

Dangerous Ramifications of the proposed bill:

What looks as a convenient way to dispose of the ongoing marital disputes in the country, which is seeing a splurge in divorce cases being filed, contains a few very dangerous provisions whose ramifications can be far-reaching and taxing for the society. Research conducted by SIFF leads it to believe, at the onset, that this bill is anti-male in nature and seeks to promulgate state sponsored financial extortion targeted against husbands.

Consolidate Media coverage about India demanding RollBack of Marriage Amendment Bill

Press Invite by Save Family Foundation on a important announcement

Consolidated Media Coverage of JPC Press Conference

‘Marital laws are loaded against men’ – DNA 5th July 2012

“These clauses are specifically targeted at grabbing the husband’s property in the event of a divorce,” said Virag Dhulia, a member of INSAAF. “We have worked hard for the property that we have. What is the sense in getting loans, investing in property and in the event of a divorce, half of it goes to the wife? Women have achieved levels of self-reliance and independence that was not possible earlier. Most have property and money on their own. Is it fair that we should give them our hard earned property, simply because we could not live together?” he asked.

Marriage Law Bill is anti-male, say forums – Indian Express 5th July 2012

They have sought the minister to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), to look through the details of the Bill before passing it. Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, Arnab Ganguly, co-ordinator of Indian Social Awareness and Activism Forum (INSAAF) said, “The Union government, through this Bill, has proposed to make redundant ‘anti-male’ law, which will convert marriage into an extortion industry. The lawmaking panel has totally ignored the objections of people and has not even justified its reasons.”

Marital laws are loaded against men

DNA Correspondent | Bangalore

Even as issues with regard to gender rights and equality persist, is the law becoming increasingly biased in favour of women? The Indian Social Awareness and Activism Forum (INSAAF) believes it is so, especially considering that the amendment to the marriage laws passed by the cabinet this year.

The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill was introduced in Parliament in 2010 following the Law Commission’s recommendation that “irretrievable breakdown of marriage” be grounds for divorce.

According to INSAAF members, bowing to pressure from women’s rights groups, the Centre had introduced a radical property division clause and passed it during the Budget session; despite opposition from organisations fighting for men.

“These clauses are specifically targeted at grabbing the husband’s property in the event of a divorce,” said Virag Dhulia, a member of INSAAF. “We have worked hard for the property that we have. What is the sense in getting loans, investing in property and in the event of a divorce, half of it goes to the wife? Women have achieved levels of self-reliance and independence that was not possible earlier. Most have property and money on their own. Is it fair that we should give them our hard earned property, simply because we could not live together?” he asked.

Men’s Rights Orgs demand JPC probe into illegal law-making

To,
The Hon’ble Minister of Parliamentary affairs,

Sub: Prayer to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe suspicious behavior demonstrated by the Government during drafting, pushing amendments under pressure and not adhering to the established process of following principles of natural justice while framing of the Marriage law amendment bill 2010.

Hon’ble Minister,

We wish to bring forth to your notice the brief summary of facts

The Marriage law amendment bill 2010 has been mired in a lot of controversy and it is strongly believed that the government is acting under severe pressure from a handful of women’s groups to include extremely ultra vires amendments in this proposed legislations. We, through this petition would like to bring to the notice of your good offices the alleged violations in the law making process, that are established in a democracy. We further pray the immediate formation of a Joint Parliamentary committee to probe these alleged violations as have been highlighted below.

Marriage Laws and Fish Curry

It reminds me of that obnoxious fish curry we had encountered in Chickmaglur (Central Karnataka) as I go through the reporting about the upcoming Marriage Laws Amendment Bill (2010) popularly known as the “Marriage Amendment Draft Bill” or the “MAD Bill” in the men’s rights community and I can’t help but share that incident of fish curry before I move on to the actual topic of the article at hand.

So, the story goes like this. Three of us had gone for a road trip to Chickmaglur. After about 4 to 5 hours of driving, we were feeling hungry and reached a place where we found a restaurant. Not seeing any other option, we entered it, though it didn’t look that great. After initial inquiry, it turned out that the fancy menu on display at the walls was just for “display”. So, exasperated we told the waiter, “Get whatever you have”. So, he asked if he could get a thali for us. We nodded and he started getting the items provided in a thali.

Join the protest against Marriage Laws Amendment Bill, 2010

Come down to the ground, get your family – parents, siblings, friends, cousins, colleagues to attend the protest against property grabbing laws and show your solidarity. Date 26 May 2012, Venue : Town Hall, Near Corporation Circle, Bangalore,. Time 9:30 AM.

Highlights of the law:

This law recognizes “Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage” as a ground for divorce.
While the law empowers the wife to oppose the divorce at any point of time if the husband has filed for divorce, it restrains the husband from doing so when the wife has filed for the same.
This law also contains a clause by which courts will be empowered to snatch away half the property of husband and give it away to wife.
This law only talks about women’s rights and has no considerations whatsoever for men.

However, the objections raised by men’s rights organizations have been conveniently ignored by the standing committee panel, that has gone ahead and recommended the very clauses to the Govt. of India for the bill to be tabled, to which the men’s rights organizations has raised objections against.