Unmarried Girija Vyas wants to punish married husband!

Sept. 10: The National Commission for Women does not feel the need to amend the much-debated IPC Section 498-A which deals with cruelty to a woman by her husband or relative of her husband.

Instead, the commission has proposed that an advisory be issued to all state governments where, in case of complaints received under this section, a preliminary investigation should be undertaken by the police and if necessary, counselling should be done to save the marriages.

NCW chairperson Girija Vyas said here on Wednesday, "Section 498-A should be used only in acute cases where there is prima facie evidence of harassment. But we do not recommend that it should be amendment since this clause is like a brahmastra (final weapon) for a women in distress."

Ms Vyas, however, accepted that there have been cases of misuse of Section 498-A but there have been cases when the clause should have been applied but was not used. Cases registered under Section 498-A have risen steady, which Ms Vyas attributed to growing awareness of the clause.

Criticising the attitude of state governments, Ms Vyas said that state governments are not serious about violence against women and that there is a need to sensitise the police, right from constables to inspector-generals of police about this act and about how to deal with domestic violence against women. Addressing the media, Ms Vyas said there is a need to have counsellors deal with domestic violence and women who with complaints. She said the police is not equipped to deal with this and police stations should take the help of NGOs or trained counsellors to assess how serious the problem is and whether Section 498-A should be applied. The NCW has initiated a pilot programme with the Crime Against Women Cell of the Delhi police to have counselling by professional counsellors for both the husband and the wife to try reconciliation before cases are registered.