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Punjab Governor pleads safe guards for NRI abandoned brides Punjab Newsline Network Tuesday, 13 February 2007
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Gen. (Retd.) S.F. Rodrigues, Tuesday Strongly pleaded for evolving a constructive, responsive and caring mechanism for tackling the problems of NRI Abandoned brides.
He said that the implementation of safeguards and social measures needs to be addressed earnestly, by core groups of caring people in different countries, by establishing an institutional contact with the NRI facilitation chapters already in place.
Presiding over a seminar on the theme “NRIs Abandoned Brides – A Challenge to Meet at Panjab University, here this evening, General Rodrigues said that we have the knowledge, wisdom and competence and there is no reason why we can’t, as a Nation and as a people, find answers to this problem, which affects each of us. He observed that this is a social problem, to be tackled through social awareness campaigns supported with remedial steps as mere legislations will not suffice.
He lamented that a self-centered approach and non-committal attitude of society is diminishing us all and this was happening because “we know how to take but do not know how to give”. We have to shed the approach of ‘we’ and ‘they’ and develop the sense of ‘us’.
General Rodrigues urged the experts and members of the legal fraternity to institute a partnership and continuing programme in collaboration with concerned people among our NRIs to interact into NRI facilitation chapters, to find answers to these issues and create help line to help those in need. He emphasized that there was a need to educate our people on the problems that can arise with the marriages with NRIs, so that they can proceed further with the matrimonial alliances and marriage proposals, evaluating all pros & cons.
Justice Vijender Jain, Hon'ble Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court emphasized the need for "changing the mind set" to save the society from the stigma of abandoned women, female foeticide and infanticide. He wondered why the number one State of the country had such problems where the society suffered inhuman, cruel atrocities by unscrupulous NRIs. "No law is sufficient to deal with such problems as every country has its own laws", which are misutilized.
There is a need for evolving bilateral agreements, application of Indian Customary Law and the need for certain mechanisms in Ministry of External Affairs to check this menace. The Legislature and the Executive should collectively work together for finding solution to such problems, the Chief
Justice added.
Justice S.S. Nijjar of Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that majority of the NRI marriages were successful. The problem stemmed from the aspirations of ambitious parents who decide to fix marriages without verifying facts antecedents. The scope of the problem should be broad-based involving constituents of NRI Diaspora as their point of view should also be considered. The NRIs were interested in finding brides as they want to maintain contacts with the land of their origin. He disapproved of media sensationalizing something, which was otherwise a normal breakdown
of marriage.
R.C. Sobti, Vice-Chancellor in his welcome address complimented the Governor and the Chief Justice for their concern for society. The issue of abandoned brides was a disturbing phenomenon, which requires immediate attention. He appreciated the Department of Laws for having picked up an issue which needs to be addressed at every level.
Anil Malhotra informed that there were over 25000 deserted "holiday brides" whose future was at stake. In the absence of adequate legal remedies and escalating dowry demands, the problem was getting compounded. He appreciated P.U. authorities for providing a platform for discussion.
The inaugural session was followed by a Panel Discussion headed by H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune Group of Papers.
Jean Rodrigues, wife of Punjab Governor and eminent jurists, educationists and intellectuals were present on the occasion.
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CHANDIGARH: Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Gen. (Retd.) S.F. Rodrigues, Tuesday Strongly pleaded for evolving a constructive, responsive and caring mechanism for tackling the problems of NRI Abandoned brides.
He said that the implementation of safeguards and social measures needs to be addressed earnestly, by core groups of caring people in different countries, by establishing an institutional contact with the NRI facilitation chapters already in place.
Presiding over a seminar on the theme “NRIs Abandoned Brides – A Challenge to Meet at Panjab University, here this evening, General Rodrigues said that we have the knowledge, wisdom and competence and there is no reason why we can’t, as a Nation and as a people, find answers to this problem, which affects each of us. He observed that this is a social problem, to be tackled through social awareness campaigns supported with remedial steps as mere legislations will not suffice.
He lamented that a self-centered approach and non-committal attitude of society is diminishing us all and this was happening because “we know how to take but do not know how to give”. We have to shed the approach of ‘we’ and ‘they’ and develop the sense of ‘us’.
General Rodrigues urged the experts and members of the legal fraternity to institute a partnership and continuing programme in collaboration with concerned people among our NRIs to interact into NRI facilitation chapters, to find answers to these issues and create help line to help those in need. He emphasized that there was a need to educate our people on the problems that can arise with the marriages with NRIs, so that they can proceed further with the matrimonial alliances and marriage proposals, evaluating all pros & cons.
Justice Vijender Jain, Hon'ble Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court emphasized the need for "changing the mind set" to save the society from the stigma of abandoned women, female foeticide and infanticide. He wondered why the number one State of the country had such problems where the society suffered inhuman, cruel atrocities by unscrupulous NRIs. "No law is sufficient to deal with such problems as every country has its own laws", which are misutilized.
There is a need for evolving bilateral agreements, application of Indian Customary Law and the need for certain mechanisms in Ministry of External Affairs to check this menace. The Legislature and the Executive should collectively work together for finding solution to such problems, the Chief
Justice added.
Justice S.S. Nijjar of Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that majority of the NRI marriages were successful. The problem stemmed from the aspirations of ambitious parents who decide to fix marriages without verifying facts antecedents. The scope of the problem should be broad-based involving constituents of NRI Diaspora as their point of view should also be considered. The NRIs were interested in finding brides as they want to maintain contacts with the land of their origin. He disapproved of media sensationalizing something, which was otherwise a normal breakdown
of marriage.
R.C. Sobti, Vice-Chancellor in his welcome address complimented the Governor and the Chief Justice for their concern for society. The issue of abandoned brides was a disturbing phenomenon, which requires immediate attention. He appreciated the Department of Laws for having picked up an issue which needs to be addressed at every level.
Anil Malhotra informed that there were over 25000 deserted "holiday brides" whose future was at stake. In the absence of adequate legal remedies and escalating dowry demands, the problem was getting compounded. He appreciated P.U. authorities for providing a platform for discussion.
The inaugural session was followed by a Panel Discussion headed by H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune Group of Papers.
Jean Rodrigues, wife of Punjab Governor and eminent jurists, educationists and intellectuals were present on the occasion.
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