The Madhya Pradesh government on Monday sacked Director General of Police (Directorate of Public Prosecution) Purshottam Sharma, after a video clip of him assaulting his wife went viral on social media.
The Home Department of the state government relieved Sharma with “immediate effect”. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also tweeted that the police officer has been relieved of his duties. MP CM quoted:
If anyone who holds a responsible position is found to be indulging in illegal activities and taking law into his hands, then action will be taken against them, irrespective of who they are.
मध्यप्रदेश शासन द्वारा पुरुषोत्तम शर्मा, संचालक, लोक अभियोजन संचालनालय को तत्काल प्रभाव से स्थानांतरित कर कार्यमुक्त कर दिया गया है। https://t.co/om7PMP5YyH pic.twitter.com/oJjM6dDR9Y
— Office of Shivraj (@OfficeofSSC) September 28, 2020
The video that went viral shows the now suspended cop thrashing his wife. The incident reportedly took place after Sharma’s wife found out about his alleged extra-marital affair. However, the couple has been living separately since years.
In the viral video, Purushottam is seen arguing with his wife and moments later, he pins her to the floor and thrashes her as she repeatedly asks him to free her. We can also see two other men in the room, both of whom try to stop the assault.
According to reports Purushottam Sharma was confronted by his wife after she found him at another woman’s house. Following this, an argument erupted between the couple and the man reached home and assaulted his wife.
However, the former part of the video which is missing from social media shows Sharma pointing at an injury on his hand, alleging that his wife inflicted the injury with a knife first.
How Did The Video Go Viral?
Purushottam Sharma’s son Parth, who works as a deputy commissioner in the Income Tax Department, sent the video of the assault to state Home Minister Narottam Mishra and some senior bureaucrats. He then requested that a complaint be registered against his father.
Sharma in his defence said he has been married for 32 years and if he has done anything wrong, then his son must answer why was his mother had been living with him for so long. Sharma quoted:
My son should say why was she taking money (from me) since 12-15 years and going on foreign trips. After enjoying so much comfort in life, she has an obligation towards her family, to save its reputation.
Our Take:
- Under no circumstances, we are taking sides of the husband in this case
- Also, if a couple is living together for years does not mean either of them has the license to harm the other
- However, people only looked at the leaked video and pronounced their verdict how woman was the victim and man was the perpetrator
- Who recorded the video? Was this pre planned? Why didn’t the person recording the video make effort to save the woman?
- The larger issue in such marriages is not about who is right or wrong, but the gender biased laws that choke couples to live together even if the matter ends up in such brutal assaults against each other
- Such incidents are also a result when either partner wants to force the other to obey his/her wishes, while the trapped spouse does not have legal freedom to break free from a failed marriage. Most often it is the Men who suffer such marriages, where women do not want to set them legally free for their false ego
- Our system does need to review grounds for divorce where irretrievable breakdown in marriage must be made a relevant reason for any spouse to walk out if the marriage is dead
- Currently, with no such grounds available for divorce, one of the spouse can choose to manipulate the other by using several bookish laws against the other
Anil Kumar, Co-Founder, SIFF, analyses the situation from self defense angle for a man. He quotes,
Every Man has a right to self defense. What will a man do, if his wife assaults him with her hands or using some brutal objects? Will he allow injuries on his body? Or will he react to defend himself and disable the aggressor?
Our society has this notion of chivalry that no man should ever raise a hand on a woman. But, men are also human beings. When they are violently attacked, they have the right to defend themselves. The problem with hysterical women is that they do not let go when the man starts defending himself. They get so aggressive that the man may have to use a couple of blows or slaps to disable her.
Both men and women should be told to stop initiating domestic violence. Unfortunately the media and feminists do not want any interventions here. In India, today it is acceptable for a woman to do physical violence on her husband and the same is justified either ways. Laws, police and courts do nothing about it.So, what does one expect men to do? A man can run away. But, it may not always be possible. Research shows women initiate almost 67% or 2/3rd of all incidents of domestic violence.
Bidirectional Domestic Violence is most prevalent forms of domestic violence. More than 70-80% domestic violence across the world is bidirectional domestic violence.
In 1960s, Professor Murray Strauss conducted most important research on domestic violence. Later, he discovered that bidirectional domestic violence is more prevalent forms of domestic violence.
Deepika Bhardwaj, Independent Journalist advocating equal rights analyses the situation in totality. She quotes,
What #PurushottamSharma did with his wife is reprehensible, unacceptable but you’d be a fool to think he wouldn’t know consequences of such action & there was no cause. She attacked him with knife first. They’ve been living separately for years. There was extreme hatred. Result!
It’s good that he’s been taken action against. But what’s sad is that no one wants to hear him for a second. He says his wife keeps putting allegations against him but still doesn’t divorce him, lives in same house. There’s no use of laws if they give all powers only to one.
If DG level officers are so helpless & their frustration overpowering them so much that they are ending lives or becoming so violent, think of a common man. Such incidents will only rise & not stop with ordinary, peaceful men taking to crime because system is deaf to them.
Amit Deshpande, Vaastav Foundation, questions Madhya Pradesh CM on issuing suspension merely on one part of the video. He says,
Dear @ChouhanShivraj
You suspended a DGP on watching the 2nd part of video, here it shows she initiated #DomesticViolence attacked him with a scissor. He was trying to restrain her. Am sure you’re biased against men & wouldn’t take any action against her
WATCH FULL VIDEO HERE AND DECIDE WHETHER ONLY ONE GENDER SHOULD BE PUNISHED OR BOTH SHOULD EQUALLY FACE THE LAW
ALSO READ –
http://voiceformenindia.com/in-the-news/domestic-violence/ahmedabad-man-alcoholic-wife-police/
http://voiceformenindia.com/in-the-news/surendra-kumar-das-kanpur-ips-suicide/
We are on Telegram. You can also join us on our Facebook Group
Join our Facebook Group or follow us on social media by clicking on the icons below
Blogging about Equal Rights for Men or writing about Gender Biased Laws is often looked upon as controversial, as many 'perceive' it Anti-Women. Due to this grey area - where we demand Equality in the true sense for all genders - most brands distance themselves from advertising on a portal like ours.
We, therefore, look forward to your support as donors who understand our work and are willing to partner in this endeavour to spread this cause. Do support our work to counter one sided gender biased narratives in the media.
To make an instant donation, click on the "Donate Now" button above. For information regarding donation via Bank Transfer, click here.
Alternately, you can also donate to us via our UPI ID: voiceformenindia@hdfcbank
Follow Us
