So from my previous article, you have understood why the reasons given to create gender biased laws in India could never deliver justice. Now understand why we all need to fight for gender-neutral laws in India and punishment for law misuse (find out your reason/s and come forward)

1.Because you are a victim of law misuse– YOU should be the first person to come forward and protest openly. In today’s internet age you can reach wide range of people faster and put forward your point of view to unknown communities. If as a victim you don’t understand the implications, no one else will. It doesn’t matter whether you are a male or female, if you were accused in such a false case and never got justice, YOU yourself are responsible for that. By being silent or not coming out openly against these biased laws you have set a path for future extortion.

2.Because you believe criminals don’t have a gender – Don’t just go by the cases reported by the media every day. These are only complaints, most of which are not true. Crime against women is a popular business for everyone around including media. So these cases get reported, highlighted, but crimes against men are NOT at all reported or underreported. Women are ever guarded and still they are projected as victims. Check the NCRB stats for any women related crime and you will know. Also if laws are gender neutral that will punish the criminal and not harass innocents.

3.Because as a woman, you want to separate yourself from women criminals – YOU may know that 76% rape cases are false (consensual sex termed as rape) or 80% dowry cases are false but these criminals (false complainants) are moving around openly claiming victimhood. This is the biggest injustice to the real victims. Our existing laws do not punish false complainant (even though there are many provisions) and also never recognizes women (read wives) criminals under domestic laws. As a result with more misuse of such laws overall credibility of women is going down. We have never seen any woman other than the victims themselves protesting against these laws. Did you see that in MEN? Men have always protested against any atrocities against women irrespective of any relation with her. This shows men do care and respect woman around them. If you want to show you care for your brother, husband or son come out openly and demand neutrality and punishment for false complaints. Else you are projecting yourself as criminal minded or you want to safeguard criminals.

4.Because you don’t want to see your son or brother or yourself as alcohol addict / committing crime / or committing suicide – When justice is denied for men, how will these men react? Society doesn’t accept them or understand their pain, people around them are NOT bothered about the pain any man goes through. We classify victims and criminals according to gender. Our increasing crime stats and increasing suicide rate of married men over last two decades prove this. Don’t keep your eyes closed because this is not reported in regular media daily.

5.Because you don’t want your daughter to end up in prostitution or strip in public to attract potential groom or hire a BF for one evening – This is what is happening in China, Japan as the families are breaking under gender biased laws there. Men are refusing to marry. Chinese govt. is thinking of changing their biased laws and revoking some of the clauses giving women extreme rights. It is covered up as empowered women preferring to be single, but happily married people know what the joy of sharing happiness is. Hope you know that too.

6.Because you don’t want to be thrown out of your own house in your old age – If as a woman you are empowered today, tomorrow your DIL can bring in enough trouble for you and throw you out of your own house under existing DV act. IrBM (#marriagelaw) is another act in the making that will also ensure this goes to her (even if it is in your name). In future there will be many such laws if YOU do not react today. Demand that property should be going to the legitimate property owner only and to be decided after checking contribution of each partner.

7.Because you don’t want marriage to become a property transfer institution – Well, sadly it is already a property transfer institution. Considering a completely legal marriage with no contribution towards the new family setup, a woman is given right to 50% property of husband and his family. Many women are marrying just to grab the property of the groom. Demand gender-neutral laws, so that both partners get an equal share of each other’s property or based on their contribution to the same.

8.Because you don’t want to be a visitor to your own child – With no concept of shared parenting in place, fathers (in most cases) are becoming visitors to their children. If you don’t demand equal access to your own child, tomorrow s/he will never know HOW MUCH you have loved him/her.

9.Because you don’t want your son/brother or yourself to maintain an adulterous/bigamous wife or her illicit children – If you think, under divorce and maintenance laws that you are aware of you are not supposed to maintain such wives or her children and get easy divorce…please consult a good lawyer and check the reality. If you still don’t demand gender-neutral laws, such women will never be punished and bring in prostitution to your home. If you protest after being hit, you will be harassed / jailed instead. In that situation please don’t blame anyone else but yourself if you have never protested against these laws and demanded changing them.

10.Because you believe punishment to false complainant will reduce false complaints, reduce judicial overhead and ensure speedy justice for all – The false complainants are the biggest criminals who not only cheat everyone around them, mess up with public property, but also make mockery of our judicial system and still claim victimhood. They are most insensitive to the real victims and should be punished severely. So come forward if you agree.

Hope now you understand that why as an Indian citizen you need to fight for gender-neutral laws and NOT for these gender biased laws, that safeguards criminals based on gender. In next part of this series, we will see WHAT you can do to promote justice for all.