View on the proposed amendment of IPC section 497

Here’s another example of moral policing by our fu**wit politicians. Yes, I am referring to the proposed amendment of IPC Section 497, the chapter of our constitution dealing with adultery. The committee has proposed that a criminal charge be brought against the women committing adultery and the punishment might include 5years of imprisonment and fine or both. Now this amendment might seem to take a righteous stride to expunge gender based apartheid against men as only adulterous men are under the glare of our existing law but it is overlooking some socio-economical as well as emotional quandaries. Women in Indian society, especially women without any economic mean to support themselves are commonly thrust into a marriage against their will. The age difference between the husband and the wife is often lugubrious with the husband ageing over 40 and the bride just on the verge of their adulthood. Most of the families still regard women as a burden and the circumstantial pressure forges a strenuous impact of the mind of the young adult and they often consent into marriage just to get rid of their chastising parents and irritating brothers and disparaging neighbors. So, most of the times, their mind and body are crumbled by the stipulating urge of a more developed husband. And if they find solace in some external element, are they really to be blamed?

Besides, sexual relationships are often a spur of the moment thing. It’s ridiculous to be absolutely sure in present era that a marriage will bond the couples until death do them part. Rather 1st marriage now-a-days has become synonymous with mistake. It’ll be imbecile on the part of our politicians to try and refute this zeitgeist. There are some more important issues [like a stringent law on terrorism] which are in dire need of their immediate attention. but they are trying to divert our mind by creating hullabaloo over some issues in which there is no need of them to poke their nose. the lawmakers and our sanctimonious “netas” should better quit being sex police and at best they might consider wiping out the existing adultery law and regard the practice of adultery as a ground for the other spouse to seek divorce or a moral offence entitling the offender to pay financial compensation to the spouse [the unemployed / economically downtrodden one, be it the husband or the wife], rather than making it a criminal offense.