Indian Police Act as Marriage Counselors
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has released a report that states that 60% of all complaints registered against the police in India are false. Approximately 49,000 complaints are filed against the police in a year. Of course data of this kind will not fool anybody in India. Very few Indians have faith in the Indian police department and the last thing any sane Indian would want to do is to register a case against the police.
The police are not to blame. Governments in India at all levels are corrupt and they use the police and other government agencies to do their bidding. The police in general are very poorly trained, lack any kind of motivation and clearly do not understand the laws of the land or the rights of the citizens of India. Unlike countries like the United States where the people have enormous confidence in the police and legal system Indians for the most part prefer to take care of their own business and try their best to keep the police out of it.
The same day the NCRB report came out there was another report of a gay couple in Manipur divorcing after they were “counseled” by the police. The couple (Soibam Sandip and Nikhil Sharma) got married only two days ago. But their parents did not approve of their wedding. Soon after the marriage the two families filed a complaint with the police station in Singjame seeking help in “ending” the marriage.
A family member said “A police official called Sandip and Nikhil to the police station and counseled them for about two hours. The two men agreed to split and call off their marriage”. He continued “We were deeply hurt and objected to the marriage. With no options left, we approached the police. They helped us not by force, but by reasoning and convinced the duo to change their mind and split”. Why did the Manipur police accept this complaint in the first place?
Certain sections of British era Article 377 were declared unconstitutional by the Delhi High Court last year. It is unclear where this ruling means that gay marriage is legal all over India or just in certain parts. But Indians are not waiting for clarifications. Many gay couples have started marrying all over the country. The Indian central government is dragging its feet and is not clarifying its stance which has made matters worse. There is even a possibility of the government appealing this ruling in the Indian Supreme Court.
On a hot button issue of this nature why are the Manipur police even medaling in this issue? Do the policemen involved have any legal right or training required to counsel a married couple? The couple was in the police station for two hours. Where they made aware of their rights and provided legal representation? Are transcripts of the counseling session available as a matter of public records?
Under normal circumstances it would take at least a year to get a divorce in India. How did they decide to end their marriage so quickly? Normally couples who want to divorce would be provided marriage counseling that will encourage them to stay married and not the other way around. Was this process followed in Manipur?
We can only guess what really went on. Whatever it was it lacked transparency. It does not inspire confidence in the system. If the police can make grown adults divorce two days after they got married after a long courtship then what else are they capable of? Will somebody file a complaint or will it be thrown out as another false complaint?
Related posts:
- Time for India to Legalize Gay Marriage
- Arranged Marriage is Not Fashionable Anymore!
- Muslim Board to Dissuade Divorces Among Indian Muslims
- All Indian Children are not Equal
- Immorality & Live-In Relationship
Category: News & Government