Marital Rape PIL is being currently heard in the Supreme Court of India. Last date for the same was March 21, 2023. While the matter is subjudice, left leaning portal Article-14 published a completely misleading piece just before the onset of the hearing.
On March 20, 2023, the portal puts out a detailed interview of the Delhi based Men’s Rights NGO (Men Welfare Trust) – who are the intervenors in the PIL and against criminalising of marital sex on word of the wife. The article is highlighted with a fallacious headline & byline that reads as below:
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How A Men’s Rights NGO Got The Delhi High Court To Hear Arguments To Keep Marital Rape Legal
In more than 150 countries, it is a crime to rape your wife but not in India, a position supported by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Driven by an unwavering conviction that women have been misusing laws to harass men, men’s rights activists in India battle to keep it that way, using legal arguments—the Supreme Court will hear them in March—political lobbying and an aggressive social media campaign.
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About the writers of this misleading article: Anup Semwal is an independent journalist who writes on science, technology and social justice. Ishita Roy is an independent journalist who writes on gender, law and heritage. Both of them are currently pursuing Masters in Convergent Journalism from AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia.
Both seem to be interns who were tasked with doing the interview and interpreting it the way they wanted to project the end message. Of course, interpretations are always subjective, but can they completely change the substance of the replies? Read on…
The article focused upon the journey of how Men Welfare Trust and how they became intervenors in the PIL in the year 2017. Further, the article also sarcastically mocks the awareness work done by the NGO in the capital. Body shaming and age shaming one of the speakers, the authors who supposedly write on gender and law wrote:
During his talk, Ali, a bald-headed middle-aged man, recounted the history of the men’s rights movement in India…
Such a statement itself projects the hatred and bias within the authors while penning their article.
The piece then mentions about the PIL, giving half-baked facts, only so to mislead some of their already brainwashed radical feminist readers more.
Attack On Modi Govt, Silent On UPA-II
Then comes the attack on current ruling Modi Government, implying how they too are supporting ‘raping of wives in India’. The article quotes:
In 2015, minister of state for home affairs, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary told the upper house of Parliament that the government did not intend to recognise marital rape due to “level of education/illiteracy, poverty, myriad social customs and values, religious beliefs, mindsets of the society to treat marriage as a sacrament.”
More recently, in 2022, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the union government in the marital rape case in Delhi High Court, argued that marital rape is part of “family issues,” and asked for more time for the centre’s response, stated that “there is no imminent threat that is something is going to happen to someone.
However, the amateur authors completely skip mentioning, how in 2013, UPA-II under the able leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh, had also rejected recommendations of Justice JS Verma committee to criminalise Marital Rape in India citing below arguments:
- It would weaken institution of marriage
- It would lead to accusations of rape in the wake of marital disputes
It must be informed to our readers, that the Marital Rape PIL was only filed in 2015, after Modi government took charge in 2014. There were no PILs on the matter throughout the 10-year long UPA-I & UPA-II regimes.
Read full article below:
UPA-II Had Rejected Recommendation Of Justice Verma Committee To Make Marital Rape An Offence
The article then puts out responses given by the interviewees in a manner which completely changes the essence of the intervention in the PIL.
Taking to Twitter, Amit Lakhani: President, Men Welfare Trust called out Article-14 portal for their attempt to prejudice the mindset of citizens, just a day before the Supreme Court hearing. Lakhani wrote:
Ahead of #MaritalRape hearing in Hon’ble SC, a slander campaign to label us misogynist, patriarchal, anti women etc to take away the focus from our lawful & logical arguments is no surprise. Headline is just designed to create a perception. THREAD:
Despite anticipating targeted media bashing on #MaritalRape hearing, I was forthcoming with this interview as I believe in discourse & our merits . Article could’ve done away with lies & personal remarks on our activists, but then body shaming while male bashing is allowed !
@menwelfare intervention at the outset clarified our position that spousal sexual violence is a social reality & happens to both wives & husbands. While wives have recourse in present laws, husbands don’t as laws aren’t gender-neutral.
What’s being demanded in the name of #maritalRape is a law without checks & balance which will do more injustice than justice. Terms like license to rape, right to say no, overlook the fact that there are enough laws which makes spousal sexual violence a punishable offence.
Let’s set the record straight: spousal sexual violence or intimate partner violence is already a punishable offence in India. The PR machinery branding it as #MaritalRape conveniently ignores the graded laws such as 498A, DV Act, 377, 376B available to a wife as recourse.
Post Arnesh kumar judgement when the illegal arrests reduced, they needed a law that could easily be misused to extort frm failed marriages, get huge divorce settlements, deny child access to fathers, disrupt gender harmony & family peace so this PIL,
@menwelfare legal seminars, we empower men to fight their battles & understand the law to fight false cases. We never encourage bribery or manipulation, as reported in the article. Our efforts are towards promoting justice & never against the integrity of the legal system.Filing an intervention in #MaritalRape PIL was a step towards judicial activism, knowing it wouldn’t be easy. For too long, feminists have gone unopposed in the courtroom, getting what they want like low-hanging fruit. It’s time for a fair and logical fight
Our arguments in HC were based primarily on constitutionality, Article 14, 19, 21, rebuttal to irrelevant & misrepresented judgements, exception not being unconstitutional, international laws, social ramifications, and then, of course, the misuse.
Not just within MRAs, law misuse is today acknowledged in every section of society. Several high courts have talked abt it in their judgments, while the Hon’ble Supreme Court has referred to it as legal terrorism. However, some people seem to overlook these facts.
When a false case can be filed & man be arrested on a woman’s statement taken at its face value without investigation, why is it wrong to follow the principle of ‘innocent till proven guilty’ & not judge a male victim/ accused before the court decides his innocence/guilt?
As advocates for men’s rights, it’s our duty to approach lawmakers armed with data, research & experience to bring attention to neglected issues. Male suicides have long been ignored by society and lawmakers, and this article shows the same insensitivity.
NFHS survey designs questions so as to get specifically desired resultso, our court submissions highlight the flaws in such surveys. Moreover, when laws do not recognize male victims of DV or sexual offenses, how can there be reliable data on the other end of the spectrum?
Talking abt men’s rights in a so called patriarchal society is a tough terrain. It takes immense courage for a lawyer to raise men’s issues in a feminist ecosystem. Fortunately, lately we’ve had a lot of support from legal luminaries who understand the object of men’s rights
I have been humbled by the number of DMs I receive from people in the fraternity offering help and support. It is heartening to see that there are people who are willing to stand up for men’s rights in a society that is quick to label any such action as ‘anti-women’.
I was truly impressed seeing Sai Deepak argue for IA in this matter. He agreed to represent us & his caliber has taken arguments to greater heights. Contrary to what media writes, what we ask for is in th spirit of true equality. He’s a pillar of strength & blessings to him!
Taking note of the alleged propaganda article, Arnaz Hathiram: Founder, Voice For Men India also shared a detailed thread to debunk several myths that have been floating around the Marital Rape PIL. She wrote:
Thread on this slanderous article against @TheAmitLakhani just before #MaritalRape PIL hearing in SC this week. Women currently have recourse under section 498A IPC DV Act 2005 Section 377 IPC …if they are facing sexual violence from Husbands
What Women Rights NGOs are pushing for thru #MaritalRape PIL ‘Criminalization of Marital Sex on Word of (disgruntled) Wives’ Effectively, whether it’s actual sexual violence, divorce, property dispute, or hatred towards in-laws, wife will be armed to file rape against husband
Common argument: Which laws are not misused? Wife will be permitted to file #MaritalRape that could have happened even 10 years ago This means there is no medical report, no circumstantial evidence, and no recourse for the husband to prove otherwise Continue reading…
Women’s Rights Activists (WRA) selectively tell Indians that 150 countries have #MaritalRape law, but in India, husbands are not punished if they rape their wives What these WRAs don’t inform Indians is that none of those 150 countries have a draconian law like Section 498A IPC
In most of countries cited as examples for #MaritalRape, law is “Gender Neutral” In current PIL, the same has been selectively opposed by Petitioners Infact, the Delhi HC Judge (Justice Rajiv Shakdher) who was in favor of MR, also suggested that the same be made Gender Neutral
What will happen when false #MaritalRape cases are filed by wives? Husband will have to run around courts for anticipatory bail, which means rocking business for lawyers. Also, huge bribes may be involved to persuade police not to file such case Then comes Great Settlement Game
It’s virtually impossible to prove #MaritalRape if there are no medical reports Courts currently are strongly of opinion tht all matrimonial disputes should be resolved “amicably” This means no one will go to jail, so eventually husb will be pressurised to “settle with alimony”
Did @Article14live inform Indians public opinions of 2 out of 3 judges hearing #MaritalRape PIL? ——- Citizen of India Requests CJI To Reconsider Formation Of Bench In Marital Rape PIL; 2 Out Of 3 Judges’ Opinion Already In Public Domain
Laws are misused globally, but perjury laws against anyone who misuses it are so strong that such individuals think 100 times before filing false cases Meanwhile, in India….there is NO PUNISHMENT for a wife who files such false criminal cases
#MaritalRape debate is not b/w Right Wing Vs Left Wing Men In fact, several men, irrespective of ideologies, have valid concerns over this one-side law only & only favoring wives This law is more to break family system in, thereby punishing men or discouraging marriage END
Voice For Men India portal is not supported by any right wing, left wing or political parties. We are not funded to be able to do mass marketing. We completely depend on each of our readers to circulate the other side of propaganda run by mainstream and digital media, in order to fuel emotions to push yet another anti-men extortionist law in India. Please share our articles on which platform that you can.
(You may also follow hashtag #VoiceForMen on social media for related articles against Gender Biased Laws)
NOTE: Supreme Court has now set aside May 9 for detailed hearing on petitions regarding criminalisation of marital rape.
LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW:
NO, Men's Rights NGO Is Not Fighting To Keep #MaritalRape Legal In India | Read Other Side Of Media Propoganda
▪️Malicious article by @Article14live attacks @narendramodi govt, but remains silent on exactly same stance taken by UPA-II@AmitShah https://t.co/ijmwTKyUbR…
— Voice For Men India (@voiceformenind) March 22, 2023
MUST WATCH:
Marital Rape Delhi High Court Split Verdict | Advocate J Sai Deepak | Other Side
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYwJ-MDdudo&t=3s
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