Provide speedy justice to women victims: Tripurana

Addresses seminar organised by India Social Services organisation

Warangal: Andhra Pradesh Women’s Commission Chairperson Tripurana Venkata Ratnam, on Wednesday, suggested that the Union government take steps to ensure that courts outside India do not grant divorce under the Hindu Marriage Act.

She made this suggestion with reference to growing numbers of divorce cases involving non-resident Indians who got married in India. The NRI marriage disputes had really become a ‘puzzle’ and problem in recent times, she felt.

Speaking to press persons here on Wednesday, she said several Indian women were suffering as the courts in countries like the US were issuing divorces in accordance with the provisions of local legislation. “Indian courts and other constitutional bodies too are not able to interfere,” she pointed out.

Venkata Ratnam appealed to parents, who were often found to be eager in getting daughters married to NRIs, to rethink their choice. Parents would be in helpless position if dispute arises between their daughter and NRI husband.

Referring to atrocities against women, she felt that women were being deprived of justice because of tardy pace of investigation by the police stations, and prosecution and conviction in the courts. State and Central governments should come up with legislations to speed up the prosecution in the cases related to atrocities against women. “The governments should see that final judgment in the cases would be given in 90 days of time,” she affirmed.

On many occasions, investigation and filing of charge sheet itself were taking longer period and it was doing great injustice to victims. There were many laws that were aimed at preventing violence against women but their implementation was not being done in true spirit, Venkata Ratnam lamented.

“Besides, there was an urgent need for the society to change its attitude towards girls and women and protection of their rights. As long as the societal members won’t change, the laws could do little in terms of safeguarding women’s rights,” she stated.

In order to achieve this, the governments should put in place a system wherein the importance of respecting and honouring women could be imbibed right from the childhood. School and college curriculum should be revised for this purpose, she proposed.

Earlier in the day, she addressed a legal awareness seminar organised by India Social Services organisation. She wanted an effective implementation of laws like Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.