NRI wives call home for help |
At least one woman married to an NRI calls home every eight hours seeking help to return after being deserted by her husband or because of reasons like ill-treatment and physical torture. Complaints received by the ministry of external affairs (MEA) show that in the 1,064 days between January 1, 2015 and November 30, 2017, the MEA received 3,328 such complaints — an average of more than three calls a day or one every eight hours.Most of the women are originally from Punjab and Andhra-Telangana followed by Gujarat. The National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development, in its study on deserted women some years ago, also confirms this fact. Most dowry complaints come from Andhra and Telengana where the dowry system is still strong. The boys went to India to please their parents and married someone, but had no intentions of living with them once they returned.The erstwhile Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry, now merged with MEA, had introduced a scheme for such women in 2007. The MEA now addresses the issue through its grievance redressal portal, MADAD. Besides, all missions also receive complaints from women and help them both financially and legally. The problem is attributed to Indian parents` "obsession" with a certain status associated with NRI grooms.
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