The Supreme Court has made a ruling striking down Section 497 of the IPC saying that adultery is no longer a crime, it can be grounds for divorce. The judgement was welcomed from various sections of the society as the colonial-era law had made women her husband’s property.
Several critics made a point that it will affect the sanctity of marriages and it is against Indian culture. They forgot that the 150-year-old law was a scaffolding of Victorian morality in India.
I don’t understand how these right-wingers regard the morality imposed by the British regime as part of Indian culture. Some people raised an objection when Section 377 was struck down by the Supreme Court.
Several people especially men came on twitter outraging against the verdict, they even went to the extent of saying that it will give way for an increase in an illegal relationship.
I agree with journalist Anna MM Vetticad here. It should be a ground for divorce not crime.
Bingo! That's all #adultery should EVER be: grounds for divorce, NOT A CRIME. #SupremeCourt #Section497 #adulteryverdict https://t.co/8czLRj7gM3
— Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) September 27, 2018
Eminent lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan also lauded Supreme Court’s decision of striking down Section 497.
Another fine judgement by the SC striking down the antiquated law in Sec 497 of Penal code, which treats women as property of husbands & criminalises adultery (only of man who sleeps with someone's wife). Adultery can be ground for divorce but not criminal https://t.co/hVtUlpzxep
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) September 27, 2018
Senior journalist Barkha Dutt also welcomed the verdict and lauded CJI Dipak Misra for scrapping the ‘antiquated law’.
Court shows the way again ! Well done #CJI #DipakMisra– absolutely right. Adultery is grounds for divorce- but criminalizing consensual sexual and marital choices is State Over reach. The only time the State should be in your bedroom is if consent is missing. https://t.co/t4mhkFiKCI
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) September 27, 2018
However, I was astonished to see some people playing down the card of fake morality. Many people aren’t ready to digest such progressive judgment by the Apex court.
Dear Hon SC CJI and Hon Justices on Bench which gave #AdulteryVerdict , what will you do if your better half is caught sleeping with other man? What shud your better half do when you are caught sleeping with other women?we have bunch of few shameless rascals messing up culture
— Kailash Wagh 🇮🇳 ( #ModiKaParivar ) (@KailashGWagh) September 27, 2018
https://twitter.com/TheBadMan__/status/1045368637182238721
People are mocking decriminalization of adultery, probably they are that insecure.
#AdulteryVerdict pic.twitter.com/jvvH2FE89W
— Swapnil Talekar…🇮🇳 (@VictimMen) September 27, 2018
Some like to believe that by criminalising adultery, no one will cheat.
Today Supreme court made Character less people HAPPY. #AdulteryVerdict
— Alok Pandey (@alokpnd60) September 27, 2018
Scrolling the several arguments on twitter on morality, I feel that we Indians would like to live in this fake morality, where we pretend to be highly moral but do all the dirty things behind the door. This is seen as one of the most influential Indian traits and its influence on Indian society.
If people are afraid their wife is going to cheat on them, they can file for divorce. The court hasn’t ruled that out, what’s the point in staying in such a marriage?
Let’s get rid of the age-old practice in Indian society of holding into a marriage even after everything going wrong.