Protected Blackmailer

Vikas, a computer engineer married to Sapna, just came back home from the office and overhears the telephone conversation of Sapna having it with her friend.

Sapna talks on the phone, “Harsha, do you know about this new bill passed in Parliament?” Harsha replies, “Yes, Domestic Violence Bill. What about that?”

“I have been seeing a lot of apprehension in men on this bill. What do they really want? I mean why they are objecting?” asked Sapna curiously. Harsha said, “Sapna, men are objecting because they will now be legally forced to listen to us and do what we tell them to do.” “Really! Now that is interesting, very interesting” Sapna remarked contemplating on the endless possibilities.

Vikas nervously got out of the room and hurriedly called his friend Gaurav. “Hey Gaurav, how are you doing?” said Vikas. Gaurav said, “Vikas, I am fine, how are you?”

Vikas anxiously said, “Gaurav, this is getting a little too much.” “What are you talking about?” Gaurav enquired. Vikas nervously replied, “About Domestic Violence Bill. Don’t you see what’s happening?”

Gaurav keenly asked, “Vikas, what is the matter?” Vikas worriedly said, “Sapna was talking about Domestic violence bill with her friend and she said it will be very interesting to have such a bill. I mean, what is she planning? What’s going on in her mind?”

Gaurav said after a long pause, “Vikas, actually I haven’t told you my condition. You know that my wife is working and earning good. Now she wants me to give her pocket money. I said why you want it for. She said I don’t have rights to ask any question. And if I refuse, she would complaint to the police of domestic violence.”

Vikas was shocked. He kept his hand over his head and said, “Oh my God. What are you saying, Gaurav?” Gaurav replied, “And she wants me to pay her twenty thousand as pocket money each month. Come on, man, what do you want me to do?”

Vikas nervously said, “What are your parents saying?” They are saying that I should divorce her.” Vikas asked concernedly, “So what are you going to do? Are you really getting a divorce with her?”

Gaurav sadly replied, “I can’t. If I divorce her, she will file a false dowry harassment case on me and demand all my family wealth to settle the case.” “Oh God, this is very serious issue. I mean, I know they can easily file a false dowry case because few of friends have been harassed like this.”

Gaurav said after a sigh, “I don’t know what to do. I don’t have any option.”

Vikas asked, “What do you think about Sapna? Is she going to do the same thing with me?” Gaurav paused and said, “See Vikas, I think you should be very careful because when they have the right to screw you, then you got to be careful.”

“But, what do I do now? I mean, she now knows that she can screw me if I don’t do as she says. I am scared Gaurav” said Vikas. Gaurav said, “I guess as long as more men don’t come out and aggressively object, there will be no change in the laws. This is enough now.”

Vikas replied, “You are absolutely right. We need to tell people about this. People need to know that this isn’t some protective laws for women. It is a bloody trap, a blackmailing tool. This way they can easily blackmail anybody.”

“Exactly” Gaurav said.         

6:13 AM - Thursday, November 9, 2006