Men's names are usually prefixed with a 'Mr' that does not betray their marital status whatsoever. However, the array of prefixes used in front of women's names in Indian society reveals a lot more about their relationship status than they bargain for. This could be done by attaching Mrs. Miss, Km. (Kumari) or Smt. (Shrimati) before their names. Kumari is often used to denote an unmarried woman while Shrimati is used for married women.
Does this violate the woman바카라s right to privacy? Did she consent to reveal her marital status on sundry official documents and in official communication while the identity of men remains marriage neutral?
Armed with a set of such arguments, Varanasi-based Pratima Gond recently approached the Supreme Court. Gond, an assistant professor of Sociology at the Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Banaras Hindu University, in a Public Interest Litigation prayed before the court seeking instructions to cancel prefixes such as Mrs, Kumari, Miss, and Shrimati before the names of women in all public and private documents as well as from their class 10 and 12 educational mark sheets and certificates. In her petition, Gond argued that the use of such prefixes before the name of women in public and private institutions, circulars, certificates, notifications, letter application forms and all other official communication denoted the marital status of women and was therefore unconstitutional due to breach of the right to privacy, which was a fundamental right provided in Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
바카라There are various ways of identifying a married woman in India...their sindoor, mangalsutra, etc. I바카라m not talking of their personal domain or personal choice to flaunt that but of the compulsion to declare that status in official communication, both private and government,바카라 Gond said.
To back up her contention, Gond also cited a 2017 circular issued by the Bombay High Court directing the practitioners to not use prefixes like Mr, Ms, Mrs, or M/s in the title of legal proceedings.
On May 15, however, the Supreme Court dismissed her petition saying that there cannot be a general order to remove the prefix from women바카라s names. 바카라바카라it depends upon the choice of a person whether to use a prefix or not to use the prefix,바카라 said a division bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ahsanuddin Amanullah in the order.
Gond, though disappointed by the order, has not given up. She will pursue the matter further by filing a review petition. 바카라The court says it is a matter of right to choose. But I don바카라t want to use it. What about those who violate my right to choose,바카라 she asks.
Gond illustrates this concern through examples from her own life. While securing an electricity connection, she had listed her name as Pratima Gond, wife of Arvind Gond. However, in the electricity bills received by her, her name is mentioned as 바카라Shrimati바카라 Pratima Gond. In her bank loan documents too, officials added 바카라Mrs.바카라 before her name. 바카라It happens everywhere. My high-school and intermediate-level mark sheets all list me as Kumari. I got married after I completed class 12. And they already named me as 바카라shrimati바카라. In 2016, when I already had two children, I got my caste certificate made. I didn바카라t use any prefixes. But they listed me as a Kumari,바카라 Gond narrated.
In this context, she asks, if an external person or entity violates her right to choose, what remedy does she have to get it protected? The option to choose between Kumari and Shrimati or Mrs itself is discriminatory, she feels. Men don바카라t need to reveal their marital status. The prefix Mr. does not reveal much about a man바카라s personal life. But the woman바카라s prefix is a giveaway. In a patriarchal society like ours, these have social consequences.
바카라When I raised this matter, many questioned me saying that these were just ways of addressing people. But I say these are not just references. They create our social identity. If a woman above a certain age is unmarried and referred to as a Kumari, people attach a lot of gossip about her life. 바카라Why is she still a Kumari? Something must be lacking in her.바카라바카라
Then, there are questions on what prefix should be used for divorced women or those widowed. Or for people identifying as LGBTQIA. 바카라If tomorrow the same-sex marriage law is passed, and two girls get married, what column will they fill? What prefix will be used for them,바카라 asks Gond.
At the heart of Gond바카라s prayer is the idea of tackling violence against women through language and cultural practices. Physical and emotional violence against women is often talked about. But what about the cultural violence against them? What nurtures and empowers that violence? 바카라It gets its power from the violence of language. Bhashai Hinsa,바카라 says Gond. 바카라Galis (abuses) are targeted at female body parts. Women face character assassination. Cultural violence works at the root of other violence. We need to talk more about cultural violence.바카라
