Really liked this story in The Hindu Sunday magazine section on an anganwadi worker who was raped and how her family was dealing with the fallout.One of the first things my fellow Americans ask me when I tell them I'm engaged to an Indian is, "So, do they want a dowry?" Hey, if I hadn't spent so much time in India, I probably would too. It's an easy joke. If people have more than a basic knowledge of the subconty, they also tend to crack jokes about evil mothers-in-law and their propensity to have accidents with kerosene stoves and their daughters-in-laws' dupattas.
So I really enjoyed reading something in the popular press that highlighted the support one mother-in-law offered her daughter. I enjoyed seeing a strong Indian woman who wasn't on a crusade, who wasn't concocting events to get her face in the papers, but instead living her life and trying to change the circumstances which immediately affected it. (Granted, I have the utmost regard for scions like Medha Patkar and Arundhati Roy, but at some point, it becomes a cult of personality rather than a question of issues.)
Anyhow, read, enjoy, and have a great Sunday!
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2 comments:
"So, do they want a dowry?" "they also tend to crack jokes about evil mothers-in-law and their propensity to have accidents with kerosene stoves and their daughters-in-laws' dupattas"
Thats a damn ignorant stereotype to make on anyone. Its quite interesting that, you make the evil mother-in-law example here. Not very long ago, I was reading an american (pseudo)feminist's travelogue in India. She called me a sexist who justifies dowry system for quoting the above example, that in most cases dowry system is a crime perpetrated by woman on woman! I am afraid, westerners in general want to beleive Indian men oppress woman, period! Any grey areas is sexism!
In addition, to add more twist to this story, 80% of dowry cases filed by women in Indian courts were found to be bogus! The reason is little bit more complicated than conventional wisdom. The woman who do actually suffer are so helpless, financially dependent and poor, that they seldom report the incidents. The ones who have the money and knowledge, actually use this dowry abuse law to escape unhappy arranged weddings. The supreme court of India was so fed up with this, that they are not taking any seriousness towards the genuine cases.
but hey who cares, narcissim is a good dose of opium for the western masses!
HYDERABAD BASED MUNSIF AND SIASAT URDU DAILY EDITORS GRAB WAQF LANDS
Urdu Media War and the Wakf properties tussle in Hyd ; MiM Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi
(Friday, Dec 09, 2005 - 09:00 pm) TeamMedia war among Urdu dailies was taken to Assembly in Hyderabad, when MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi accused Siasat and Munsif Urdu daily owners of grabbing Wakf properties and demanded stern action against them.Mr Owaisi armed with statistics and details of all Waqf Lands which are being encroached upon said govt is going soft on these editors as they are trying to threaten the govt through there newspapers .In the same breath, He also alleged that no action was taken against grabbers of Wakf properties in city and outside including Viceroy Hotel, Shaam and Sensation theatres, local reports inform. Turning his ire on owners of rival Urdu dailies, Siasat and Musif, he said, "Mr Zahid Ali Khan has illegally encroached Wakf property. He is a white collar land grabber. Why is the government keeping quite? You should put them behind bars." Shifting his heat on another Urdu daily Munsif owner, he remarked, "Mr Khan Lateef Khan...the double Khan.. too has encroached Wakf properties housing Santosh and Sapna theatres, yet no action has been taken. The government should take stringent action against encroachers of Wakf properties," he alleged. Reacting to Mr Owaisi's demand, minister for minorities welfare Mohd Fareeduddin assured that the government would enquire into the matter and would not "spare anyone however big he might be." Referring to allotment of land to one Tajuddin, he said the land was given on a lease for three years for agricultural purposes and the renewal would depend on the government He also accused them of trying to cover there illegal grabbing of land by bribing some high officals in the govt
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