WHO IS DEEPIKA NARAYAN BHARDWAJ AND WHAT IS SECTION 498A?

Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj, who started her career as a Software Engineer in Infosys, is now a men's right activist known for her documentary 'Martyrs of Marriage' which has an IMDb rating of 8.5/10.

Note: Martyrs of Marriage speaks about the misuse of India’s Anti-dowry Act. The documentary can be streamed on Netflix.

In an exclusive interview to the Economic Times, Deepika has gone candid about her documentary, #MeToo movement and men's rights.

Deepika’s journey into men’s rights is not an easy one. Her family became a victim of false accusations of dowry and domestic violence. Seeing her most loved ones suffer has had an impact, an impact which cannot be erased or reversed, on her life.

“People whom we usually believe uphold the law and protect people from injustice told me there’s nothing for a man. No matter how innocent he is, the laws are stacked against him and it takes years and years to prove one’s innocence despite the evidence. It was not just the pain and the trauma but absolute disbelief and shock seeing the system being taken advantage of blatantly by women, that made me so passionate about the work I do.”

She started her journey at a time when the entire country was boiling because of brutal assault and rape of a young woman. She was tagged as a woman hater, anti-woman and misogynist person.

Speaking of her documentary and the impact it has created on the Indian society, Deepika said, “In the last three years since the documentary released, I have received endless messages expressing gratitude and appreciation for the same. If anyone has to explain what misuse of [this] law is all about, they ask people to watch this documentary. My aim behind making this film was to spread awareness, tell people they are not alone and that they can fight.”

Under Section 498A, cruelty to a woman by her husband or any relative of her husband was made punishable which will attract imprisonment of up to three years and fine. However, the Supreme Court later observed that the law was often used as a weapon against husbands by disgruntled wives rather than acting as a shield to those women who actually suffer. 

Ever since the Supreme Court issued various guidelines against the misuse of dowry and domestic violence law, things have started changing. Now, the police doesn't immediately arrest the husband and his family.

Deepika feels sexual harassment at workplace is real and condemnable. But, to her, it's not only about women. Men also experience worst forms of abuses, harassment and violence and it needs to be addressed, no matter what.