Harassed mothers-in-law in Chandigarh find their voice
Hoping to help afflicted mothers-in-law (MILs) to find their own voice, the Chandigarh chapter of All India Mother-in-Law Protection Forum (AIMPF) has started functioning in the city.
Despite being cast rather infamously as aggressors, MILs who have gathered under the forum point to the harassments matriarchs of households have been subjected to that would prove all stereotypical portrayals to be wrong.
“Mothers-in-law are unfairly portrayed as perpetrators of violence against their daughters-in-law. However, society hardly cares about their plight as they are being discriminated against and are harassed despite their generosity,” coordinator of the chapter, Mandeep Puri, said.
She said MILs are often blamed for problems between the couple and are also slapped with dowry harassment case by the daughter-in-law and her family members.
“I have been constantly harassed by my daughter-in-law,” said Harjinder Kaur, mother of a married son.
“On any trivial issue she would pick a fight. After a few months, she started coercing my son to get me out of the house. Then she went away to her parent’s house and filed a case of dowry harassment against the whole family.”
Formed last September in Bangalore, the AIMPF has started to slowly spread its presence in north of the country. Its Chandigarh chapter would attend to complaints from MILs in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
It has launched a helpline enabling the harassed MILs to get in touch with the forum volunteers.
