Ashish Working with Widows in India
Case Study "A"
Mrs A.: Her husband passed away in 1999. She received from her in-laws Rs. 5 lakhs towards the return of her dower and share in her husband’s property.
Mrs. A. and her late husband lived in Cuddapah. The dower of Rs. 5 lakhs was invested in a flat in the city of Secunderabad and brings in a monthly rent of Rs. 2,000/-.
Her father was in charge of the entire transaction of purchasing the flat and getting a tenant, and fixing the monthly rent. He used also to collect the rent on her behalf but never in fact gave her any of the rent.
Mrs A now lives in a hostel as she has got a small job, but her salary is not enough to meet her living expenses. She asked her father for at least half the rent, but was met with a refusal and abuse. Vexed with the abuse, she approached us for help.
We have issued a legal notice to the tenant to pay the rent directly to her and also one to her father not to interfere with her and enclosing a copy of the notice to the tenant. We are waiting for a response to the notices.
ASHISH ANALYSIS : The case amply explains the situation
of widows vis a vis property and money. Women are not trained to look after
settlements or property and are taken advantage of even by their own parents.
Case Study "B"
Mrs B.: came to us about the property bequeathed to her and her two daughters
by her late husband.
Her husband had been given a gift deed of a house in Secunderabad out of the estate of his father. Soon after this her husband died. His brothers have managed to get a legal notice stating that they have a share in the house given to Mr B. We have responded to their lawyer contesting this and enclosing a copy of the original gift deed. The brothers’ lawyer has called for a meeting to reach a compromise.
A compromise is however not possible because the house is actually very small for Mrs B. and her two daughters – it is only 356 sq yards. We will file a case for injunction against the brother in laws, to prevent them from interfering with the property, as well a petition that her sole right to the house be recognised.
ASHISH ANALYSIS : This case demonstrates the situation where women are subject to the cheating tactics of the relatives of their late husband. The attitude of in-laws is all too often to grab every inch of property taking advantage of the fact that women are not in a position to defend themselves in a court of law.
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