Nari Adalat

Nari Adalat

The movie is about the empowerment of women which is happening in a region of Gujarat. The women have collectively formed a committee which hears cases that arrives. The case which was represented in the movie showed a domestic dispute involving a husband and a wife wherein the plaintiff accused her husband of cheating on her. She also claimed that she was repeatedly beaten and threatened. She wanted a divorce and division of property. The husband disputed the claim and accused her wife of instigating disputes. It was left to the nari adalat to verify the facts and come at a verdict. The members of nari adalat then visit the accused person’s village and talk to the village committee members regarding the issue. They also talk to his family members and ascertain the facts.

This whole process is a symbolic representation of the women empowerment which is slowly seeping in certain parts of India. Such instances are still far and few but it is a positive development. After centuries of playing second fiddle to the male in Indian society, today women are quietly realizing that their issues can be best represented by them only. While constitutionally they have been granted equal rights as men, the society and culture has so far been resistant to the new feminine empowerment. Though India has been one of the earliest country to have a woman prime minister and accepted her whole heartedly, when it comes to giving same rights and respect at home, there has been reluctance. Rights of women to paternal property, medical care and educational spending are still a second thought today. Abuse of women as wife, daughter and wife still continues unabated.

The government has a significant role to play in this. This includes prosecution of people involve in persecution of women. Punishment for abortion of girl child, dowry practices, rape and eve teasing of women etc need strict and prompt implementation.

In the end however, it is society which has to accept the equal rights of women. No measure of government regulations can force people to change what happens in the boundary of their household.

It is gladdening to see my home state of Himachal Pradesh which has implemented free school education of girls till senior secondary. The absolute number of girls attending schools is more than boys in Himachal. And the accompanying social development index is also satisfying. Himachal has been one of top performers amongst Indian state for social development index per leading magazine. Universal primary education in the state is just a few years away and Himachal is the first state to implement “Maintenance of Parents and Dependents Act”. The ground realities also confirm social development across board for both males and females; with education women have taken local issues close to their home to their heart. They assume