PANAJI
A woman who frequently savoured authentic Goan pav-bhaji at a local restaurant every Sunday found herself unable to do so one particular Sunday as guests were scheduled to arrive at her in-laws place.
She agreed to make up for it by going out the following Sunday on being convinced by her husband. However, what unfolded next escalated into a major dispute.
She shared her plans with her mother over the phone, and news of the arrangement reached her father, who was 5 kms away from her in-laws residence. Shortly he arrived with a parcel of the Goan pav-bhaji for his daughter.
This is just one instance of parental interference in marriages that reached the doors of the Court for final settlement.
While there are matters in the Court, Goa State Women's Commission is also currently grappling with a multitude of cases involving disputes between couples fuelled by ego clashes, parental meddling, and lack of family values.
The Commission has recorded a high number of cases concerning marital discord compared to other types of disputes filed with them, with the second most prevalent category being disputes with neighbours, those resulting in the violation of women's dignity.
Commission Chairperson Ranjit Pai has conceded the rise in such cases, with an average of 12-15 marital disputes being reported each month. “While we endeavour to mediate and reconcile the parties involved, in some instances, one or both spouses are determined to take legal recourse through a divorce,” she explained speaking to The Goan.
“Although we are not the authority to take legal action, we facilitate those seeking divorce to appropriate authorities for the same,” Pai added.
Moreover, there are instances where ego clashes among couples hinder their marriages, compounded by a lack of family values. “With the disappearance of joint family setups, the importance of family values has largely gone missing,” Pai observed, adding that presently, the Commission deals with four couples seeking counselling every week, with an average of one out of every 15 cases reaching the courts.
“In many cases, reconciliation works,” she noted. The Commission has further come across instances wherein some women also misuse laws meant for their protection. “If one talks about fundamental rights, you must be aware of fundamental duties too,” Pai emphasized.
The State government had just last year released this troubling trend wherein around 1,200 divorce cases were registered from 2020 to June 2023, with the first half of 2023 witnessing a peak of 254 divorces.
Then Law Minister Nilesh Cabral in 2021 had announced that the State would start premarital counseling sessions for couples registering for marriage while citing a rise in divorce cases and annulments of marriage. The proposal, which has yet not materialized, mentioned the Department of Registration will carry out the program in the 15 days between registration and solemnization of marriages.
