Real life stories of grit and determination from the far-off and backward region of Chhattisgarh in Madhya Pradesh.
They are the real women of substance

By Ruby Gupta

AS smart young women go about their work in metropolitan cities, a quiet revolution is taking place in the backwaters of small towns across the country. While the present generation of women in the cities are reaping the benefits of the battle for equality fought successfully by their mothers, the women lower down the socio-economic ladder still have to struggle to assert their position. And they are finally doing it as we approach the millennium. The city of Bilaspur inhabited mostly by tribals is an example where such a change is taking place. The socially and economically backward women here are becoming increasingly aware of their rights. And they are no longer willing to take things lying down.

A case in point is 30-year-old Gayatri Verma, who works as a cook. She is the mother of two children. She has been married since nine years to a married man who has five children from his first wife. Her husband has deserted her since the past two years. Fed up with waiting in vain, she has filed a case for obtaining maintenance from him through the legal aid cell. (Although a second wife is not recognised by law, her children are however, legally entitled to get a certain sum of money as maintenance from their father.) Gayatri says: "Why should I let him off scot-free. After all I have given nine years of my life to him. Theek hai I can support myself and my two children but that is not the point. He too will have to take some responsibility. He should not come over regularly if he does not want to, but he must pay me maintenance? After all I have two small children whom I have to educate and look after till they become independent."

Another case involves Lata, who works as a domestic servant. She is the mother of a six-year-old girl. She married Santosh in a temple (a fallout of Hindi movies) about eight years ago. Now her husband, who runs a family grocery store and belongs to a somewhat well-to-do family, is planning to get married again. All these years he kept his marriage a secret from his family since Lata came from a poor family. The hapless Lata being in love, lived in a makeshift house next to her maternal home. She worked as a domestic servant in order to support herself and her daughter. She was happy with whatever her husband gave her. This entailed visits twice a week to assert his conjugal rights. He also condescended to occasionally bequeath small sums of money upon her. Gradually Lata realised that since her husband did not give her money regularly she would have to take complete responsibility of her daughter’s growing needs. So instead of one home, she started working in five homes. The news of her husband’s impending marriage proved to be the proverbial last straw. Now she has decided to take action. A bitter Lata recounts,: "He was never there to look after my child through her numerous childhood illnesses. I did it all alone. I have even put her in a school so that she would not end up like me. I had to undergo three abortions because I knew that I would not be able to support more than one child all by myself. But now I have had enough. I will simply not let him get married." This rebellion has caused her to be beaten up by her husband on several occasions. He was not averse to even kicking her in the stomach after her recent abortion. He has threatened to maim or kill her if she tries to step out of her bounds. She is a woman and so she must toe the line is what he tells her repeatedly. Undaunted, Lata conveyed the fact that Santosh was already married to his entire clan. This was a desperate bid to put a stop to his marriage negotiations. His family is not too concerned because his marriage means that they would get ample dowry. She was soundly beaten up by Santosh for her audacity. Her spirit remains unbroken. She has now filed a report against him in the Mahila Police Tahana. "I will not let him go without making him pay for spoiling my life. I will do everything possible to stop his marriage even if it kills me. From now on I will force him to pay regularly for the upkeep of my daughter and myself." It is indeed heartening to note that despite all constraints Lata refuses to bow down in the face of injustice.

This case also highlights the fact that, in the absence of an adequate sexual outlet, young men are given to keeping women belonging to a lower socio-economic level. These women are exploited sexually in the guise of marriage. If these men visited a prostitute, they would have to pay a great deal to the sex worker, and face the stigma attached to it. They would also run the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. An easy way out is to marry a woman who does not make too many demands on them. With centuries of subjugation behind them women believe that it is their duty to be loyal to their husbands and not complain. This, even when the men do not contribute towards their upkeep.

The women are so besotted that they willingly work as labourers or domestic servants to support themselves and any children that result from this liaison. Later, when their family thinks that the right time has come, the men get married into socially acceptable families. Thus the love-bubble bursts for these women. And they learn of the respectable, dowry-laden marriage of their husbands with women belonging to their own social strata.

These two cases are merely the tip of the iceberg. As upcoming lawyer Nirupma Vajpayee says, "On an average about a hundred such cases are being filed everyday by the women themselves in the 20 courts in Bilaspur." This number is certainly astonishing. The reasons for such an upsurge among women towards asserting their rights are several. One is the increased awareness among them. This has come about with an increasing number of women becoming sarpanches who spread information among the women. A number of mahila samitis have also been set up at the grassroots level to help women in distress. The media, particularly television, has played a role in enlightening women.

A legal-aid cell has been set up by the government in Bilaspur. This cell periodically organises camps in rural areas to spread information among the women about the legal options available to them. This cell is doing a laudable job. Most cases of women seeking maintenance are being initially processed through the legal aid cell. The cell provides the women with a lawyer and a certain sum of money in order to be able to fight her case. According to the local legal cell officer. "We take care that the woman does not have to pay the lawyer. In case of any complaint regarding the lawyer demanding money, we immediately appoint another one". It is encouraging to note that the government, for once, is tackling this social problem with alacrity and sensitivity.

While the above mentioned two women do not belong to the indigenous Chhattisgarhi tribe, an increasing number of Chhattisgarhi women are also coming forward to file cases against their husbands.The Chhattisgarhi people have a peculiar custom of marriage called the choori pratha. According to this custom, a man can take a woman home as his wife simply by making her wear bangles given by him. This custom has led to rampant polygamy and polyandry in the region. A woman too can easily leave her husband and start living with another man as his wife, by wearing bangles given by him. Strangely enough, this custom is recognised by law as well. However a man cannot take home a second wife unless and until his first wife is either dead or has already left him. This is often flouted by men.

It is extremely common for the man to bring home a second wife when the first wife is already living with him. In these cases the first wife is tortured mentally and physically so that she leaves. Previously the first wife used to either commit suicide or leave. But this is no longer the case. Such women are now coming forward in increasing numbers to assert their rights. They are filing cases under section 498 of the IPC for redressal of their grievances. This is a non-bailable offence and errant husbands are often arrested and put in jail. This is now serving as a deterrent to other husbands who are thinking of bringing home another wife.

An increasing number of women stepping out of their homes to seek justice has touched a raw nerve in several quarters.For instance, a number of public prosecutors and advocates, (all male) allege that all these women are filing false cases only in order to fleece and intimidate their husbands. "Do only women have the right to say that they have been traumatised? What about us? Where do we men go and complain if we are being tortured by our wives?" asked one particularly peeved and harassed looking public prosecutor. Mrs N. Pandey, a lawyer who also works with the legal aid cell strongly refuted this point. She says, "No woman would go to such great lengths without a valid reason. A woman comes to court only after she has undergone tremendous torture and is unable to take anymore. The courts take quite a long time to dispense justice. At times the wait is as long as eight years. So a woman takes this step only when she does not have any other choice. And if a small percentage of women does file false cases, what is wrong in it? Why should she not get the money which the man would simply drink away otherwise?"

Evidently, a clear dichotomy has emerged between the men and women involved in the legal process. The men are enraged because these women are challenging their deeply ingrained notions of male superiority. The women on the other hand, are rejoicing for they are finally being able to stand up after being crushed for centuries. They no longer blame their fate like their mothers and grandmothers used to do. Instead they are taking active steps to change their so-called fate. However, one hopes that a middle-path would soon be found without generating too much animosity between the sexes.

Inspite of these commendable efforts, there is no discounting the fact that there has been an unprecedented increase in the number of such cases being filed in the courts. This has perhaps to do with the fact that Madhya Pradesh is at the number one position as far as complaints of harassment against women is concerned. Naturally all cases can not be solved amicably. Vidya Govardhan, a social worker associated with the counselling centre, concurs with this fact. She says, "In those cases where a reconciliation is indeed impossible we do advise the couple to live separately. We then help the wife and the children to get maintenance from the husband."

There is a downside to this scenario as well. This has to do with the Atrocities Act passed by the government to protect the rights of SCs and STs. This act provides special privileges to these communities and tribes and is often exploited by Harijan women. They are instigated by their men-folk (who are motivated by

revenge) to file false and concocted cases of rape or molestation against members of higher castes. Perhaps this Act should be reviewed in order to prevent its misuse.

Most cases coming forward are concerned with dowry, mental and physical torture. Not many cases of a civil nature are coming forward as yet. This is because women are still largely unaware of their property rights. The fact that emerges from this social change is that, it is not education that leads to empowering of women. It is economic independence that does so. Almost all these women who file cases are economically independent. They are capable of looking after themselves and their children (their husbands too if need be). Economically dependent women, on the other hand, are unable to summon the courage to fight for themselves. And they continue to live in misery.

One can learn to face life’s challenges by following the example of these so-called backward women. These women, despite all odds, refuse to cower in the face of injustice and bravely stand up for their rights.