Brinda complains against SC judgement

A Supreme Court judgement has sparked off a controversy, senior CPM leader Brinda Karat has written to Law Minister Veerappa Moily complaining against the judgement which she says can only be considered a retrograde judgement.

Brinda Karat urged the law minister to ensure that a review petition is filed at the earliest and said:

"Such a judicial understanding of cruelty will be a license for domestic violence, both mental or physical. It may also encourage wife-beaters."

She said if unchallenged, the judgement will undo the positive steps taken by the government and Parliament to address the increasing number of cases of domestic violence.

While hearing a case of marital dispute between a woman and her South-Africa based husband the supreme court held that:

"Kicking a daughter-in-law or giving divorce threats is not cruelty."

The apex court also held that a husband and his relatives cannot be prosecuted for "cruelty" merely because the mother-in-law or other family members give constant sermons to the daughter-in-law or allegedly treat her shabbily by giving her used clothes.