I do not agree with the many as i think the law in india is not fair and they are women baised only . Due to which many times the men need to suffer even he is correct .India is a demographically diverse country to an extent that one particular laws, regulations or setup can be applicable and beneficial to a few states and disastrous to other states. In a situation like this, especially the laws relating to dowry(498A), has had a devastating repurcussions on the society. Once the law was enacted to protect the women from any unlawful dowry demands by the groom and her in-laws, has now been misused. There wasn’t any reason to be alarmed only if these incidents of misuse of laws were rare and isolated. The misuse of these law is increasing exponentially causing innumerable families to commit suicide as the only way to prevent further torture . Indian Government is very well informed about the serious situation, but is solely dependent on National Commission for Women for putting forward their solutions. National Commission for Women was expected to act on this situation favourably, but NCW has refuse to accept any such incidents of misuse, which has indeed made us even more vulnerable. If the Government is not acting upon this problem and depending on disinterested Women’s organisation, then where will the men go for justice ? Are they not the part of india & indian society . It is extremely frightening that men are now exposed to a new principles of law, “Guilty until proven innocent.” This has indeed a direct violation of Human Rights. Every person has the right to be called innocent until proven guilty, which isn't happening in the case of dowry laws. How will a man protect himself if his basic human rights are taken away only because the accuser happens to be a woman ? Therefore, I request you to get to the root of these dowry incidents and I hope you will do all the necessary research to attain justice because human rights are applicable for both the genders .. There are many more law which are there such as Domestic Voilence 2005 along with 498A law . Even President of india and Cheif Justice Of india also admits that this law is been misused . You can check in the mention below link  http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081228/jsp/nation/story_10309933.jsp http://presidentofindia.nic.in/speeches2008.html

Hope you will read and try to highlight on this issues also . There are few NGO who are working on this May be you can try with them . Chief Justice of india admit misused of 498A.

http://savefamily.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=1:latest-news&id=271:After%20President%20of%20India%20,%20now%20Chief%20Justice%20of%20India%20admits%20to%20Misuse%20of%20Dowry%20Law.&Itemid=50

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4057825.cms

http://prassoon.sulekha.com/blog/post/2009/04/chief-justice-of-india-admits-misuse-of-498a-law.htm

More over according to our consitituion all men & women in india has equal rights and we cannot press one section in name of giving justice to other section . We need to treat them then equally in all respects

I will never, ever be in a position to influence policy in any country other than my own, and even  in this country, I can only influence it with my vote.  So, what am I to do with the knowledge of injustices such as these?  I’ve given this a lot of thought lately.  What to do about countries who, consistently violate the human rights of others.  And finally, I decided that, indeed the sun WILL come up in the west tomorrow, because I have found myself to be  in agreement with Bill O’Reilly.

I am getting to an age where , with decreasing responsibilities and increasing free time and disposable income, I hope to do some travelling.  Obviously, North Korea would be no sane person’s travel destination, and Iran, full of culture and beauty as it is , needs to join the 18th century, at the very least, before a unattached woman dares to venture there.  However, I have given some thought to including India in my first trip.  Now, though,  I have come to the decision that it would be wrong for me to expect the travel industry of India to accept the travel dollars of this particular ‘crazy feminist’.  While I am acutely aware that the fact that I will not , any time soon, visit the Taj Mahal , still I wouldn’t feel right spending my little pittance of a travel budget there.  That’s one life experience that will have to wait until the poor , mistreated men of India grow up, quit whining and start treating their women better.  

Anushka,

I was puzzled by this article headline:

A newly-wed youth allegedly committed suicide after he was reportedly pressurised by his in-laws to live in his wife’s house and sever all ties with his parents.

India has had a long tradition and history of being matrilineal. The custom of the husband going to live with his wife and her family does not seem to be problematic in any way, since matrilocal residence actually provides the woman and children with greater social protection. In fact, I would highly recommend such post-marital arrangements in order to reduce incidences of domestic violence.

It seems to me there is some kind of propoganda going on with the male dominated media since India has converted to a patriarchy except for some local regions in the north and south.

I see these conflicts with the dowry custom as being rooted in kinship tensions and economics within a broader framework of patriarchal traditions. I have known quite a few Indian men in the United States who have betrothed indian wives, bring them to the United States and then commit horrendous acts of violence against them simply because the woman is isolated and without the protection of her extended family or isolated from a social network. In some cases, the Indian wife would flee the husband. The men are not innocent victims and are merely seeking to deflect attention from the abuse and blame the woman and her family.

In too many cases the mothers and sisters of the husband protect him, this even happens in domestic violence cases the United States. But again this is a good reason for the husband to live in a matri-local setting so that he will not be empowered to abuse his Indian wife, nor be shielded from the consequences of his abuse by his mother and/or sister who may act like agents of complicity in the systematic reinforcement of male dominance and violence against women.

In India, with few exceptions, historically, brides lived with their husbands’ families, and were ruled by their mothers-in-law. However, much is changing in India because of a rising middle class, women working, and the younger generation moving to towns and cities without parents. Also, education abroad, and the rise is the number of professional women have altered modern Indian society.

 Also, while it is very difficult for Americans to understand arranged marriages, they, too, are historical in India, as well as in other cultures,because the focus is on family and community, and romantic love is not the basis. The focus is on family and community, not on individual preference. However, it seems absurd to form judgments about marriage when there is a very high rate of divorce in industrialized countries, such as the U.S.

Much of what is written here is hyperbole, rumor, and manipulation of facts, and there are many traditions and recent innovations  in the lives of Indians in India (and India is a vast country with many groups, languages, and practices), and those who live in the U.S get snippets of information from books, magazines, newspapers whenever there is a horror story. Also, family life is private and not shared with others. In this website discussion, anecdotal material, as well as generalizations only enrage and exaggerate. There’s more to know, and the best way to learn  is to live in India.

jeff wrote "In a land and place where the husband is expected to be the bread winner for the family, and bread winner not by any ordinary means, he must provide for a decent living for his spouse and children which includes the like of providing a decent accomodation, travel facilities, education for children and everything else that falls under the sky. And what resposibilities are we entrusting the women with after all this: not even the responsibility of managing her own home, why ? because it has come on to become prerogative for women to expect whatever they want in their lives and get it without even an iota of trouble or whatever ?

Your thinking is typical of a man who believes that he has some kind of ownership over a woman and children. You belief system is very typical of those men in India who believe they have a right to abuse their wives simply because they provide material resources to the women and children. Furthermore, it is clear that you are devaluing the very important contribution that women make in society. Not to mention the fact that in all human societies, women have always performed a number of social reproductive, life sustaining functions beyond child rearing, (which in itself is a vital social function). As such, there is no such thing as a man being a primary "breadwinner".

How about understanding the origins of MATRIMONY as a female social innovation in which the husband traditionally serves the wife for the privilege of her selecting him as a mate, and is not allowed to claim owership over her or the children? After all, a female has the natural advantage in mate selection, she could mate with mutiple males if she so chooses.

Don’t get married Jeff! You will create problems in your marriage with this backwards mindset you have. Keep in mind that a woman has many options in life which are indeed her prerogative. Are you envious of that?