National Commission for Women and its Twisted Nature

TOI reports :

For long, there has been a debate on whether adultery should be regarded as a crime as it is under Indian laws. Finally, the argument seems to be going in favor of those against this social malaise being treated as a criminal act.

The draft National Policy on Criminal Justice, authored by the Madhava Menon committee, has responded to the demand of the National Commission for Women (NCW) to de-criminalize adultery by recommending that it should be treated as a social rather than a criminal offence.

Like many others I firmly believe that this is a bold move and that too in the right direction.

National Commission for Women (NCW) is often flaked by many, especially by organizations such as the Save Indian Family Foundation and the likes. And I guess they have their reasons – some valid ones and some at times simply exaggerated.

Though some have argued that treating Adultery as a civil offence will only encourage people to commit such acts due to lack of any grave legal-implications added to it. Frankly speaking this reasoning is something I really can’t figure out. Firstly, since Adultery is perceived as sexual intimacy between consenting adults in private then on what bases can one be imprisoned for that. Secondly, if someone desires to have consensual sex or an affair outside marriage they will do so irrespective of the fact that their very act could land them up in prison. And most importantly a marriage which is held together because of legal complications and nothing else is just not worth it in the first place.

Therefore it only makes more sense to term it as a civil offence and not a criminal one. Adultery should be considered a valid and a strong ground for divorce and the victim should be suitably compensated.

But what totally irks me about Ms Girija Vyas and her clan’s proposed plan is that it is totally soaked in gender-biased attitude.

NCW has opposed a proposal to amend Section 497 to bring women also under the purview. IPC says the wife shall not be liable even as an abettor, based on the reasoning that a woman involved in illicit relationship with a married man is a victim rather than author of the ‘crime’.

What the Fuck?

On one hand, NCW recently announced Domestic Violence Act 2005 appeared to be in grip with today’s time and social reality with the inclusion of Live-in Relationships, sexual abuse of children, plight of women who are forced to marry against their wishes and women’s right to secure housing.

Then why is she reluctant in holding the adulterous woman equally blameworthy as the adulterous man. Under what context are such women described as ‘Victims’? It’s like they are deliberately turning a blind eye in the face of reality under the pretext of women’s victimhood.

Why is it so hard to play a fair game or at the least try to?