Role reversal anyone?

Taking a leaf out of the harassed husbands' book, mothers-in-law plan to start a forum against their victimizing daughters-in-law

Role reversal anyone?

Taking a leaf out of the harassed husbands' book, mothers-in-law plan to start a forum against their victimizing daughters-in-law

Mums-in-law are starting a forum because they want the world to know that no matter what the saas-bahu serials say, they are really the victims.

Taking a cue from the harassed husbands, they plan to fight back against their scheming daughters-in-law by forming the All India Mother-in-laws Protection Forum (AIMPF) this weekend.

The forum will be formed on the lines of, and with the active help, of the Save India Family Foundation (SIFF), a Bangalore-based NGO working for harassed husbands.

"Mothers-in-law are coming together for the first time to raise their voices," said Virag Dhulia, public relations officer, SIFF.

"Many innocent in-laws are as affected as the husbands. They will now fight for justice."

Saases plan to put bahus in place

However, the AIMPF, comprising around 500 members, will carry out its campaign as a separate entity and will not be part of either SIFF or any other harassed husbands' association.

"The struggle has been on since years," added Virag. "It's now that they have decided to break their silence. Though we are facilitating the start, they will work separately."

The agenda

Through the forum, harassed mothers-in-law will build a network across the nation through their website aimpf.org. There will be online discussions and debates on issues and developments related to laws affecting their lives.u00a0 They will also encourage such forums in other cities especially where SIFF is active New Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Chennai and Kolkata.

The forum will initially take up issues that include change in inheritance laws, amendment to the Domestic Violence Act and amendment to Sec 498(a).u00a0 "There are few laws to safeguard aged and harassed mothers-in-law compared to those safeguarding daughters-in-law," said Pandurang Katti, president, SIFF.

"Innocent mothers-in-law are victimized every day by laws like Sec 498(a). Hence, we want to empower such mothers-in-law, as they have come out to fight the injustice meted out to them."