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Legal victory for spurned Dalit woman
KAILALI, DEC 09 - Nanda Devi Sarki, a Dalit woman of Malakheti VDC-3 in Kailali district finally tasted victory after a year. The District Court announced a verdict establishing husband and wife status between Sarki and a man from upper caste and also daughter and father status between her child and the same person, recently.
Chakra Bahadur Rawal, the man from upper caste in the same village had illicit relations with Sarki with a promise to marry her. Once she became pregnant with his child, Rawal deserted her.
Though a determined Sarki gave birth to a daughter, Rawal’s family denied accepting Sarki as Rawal’s wife.
Carrying the infant, Sharki staged a dharna in Rawal’s house yard for around three months but to no avail. Rawal’s family first tried to get rid of her by offering her money. When this failed to detract Sarki from her resolve they turned to verbal abuse and physically assaulted her. Unable to bear his daughter’s plight, Sarki’s father committed suicide.
Finally, on the advice of some NGOs working for the cause of Dalits, she filed a case at the District Court demanding that it establish her relationship and that of her daughter with her estranged lover Rawal.
Despite the court’s verdict, Sarki has not been taken into the house as Rawal’s wife. However, reacting to the court’s verdict, Rawal said that he would seek a divorce from Sarki.
However, Sarki is determined to live in Rawal’s house as his wife wherein she says, lies her future and that of her daughter.
"I underwent abuse and ill-treatment all this while, and now , my concern is my dignity and the future of my daughter and myself. I request you all in helping me to stay with my husband" said Sarki. "The court verdict shall remain a precedent to thousands of others facing situations similar to that of Nanda Devi," said Ganesh BK, the Chariman of Regional Dalit Network, expressing pleasure over the verdict.Posted on: 2003-12-10 04:01
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