Who Killed Twisha Sharma? Weddings, Divorces and Dowry Death in India
"Girls like it, especially if they've never been married before—it's the dress. Girls want a wedding, they don't want a marriage. If only you could have weddings without marriages!" [1]
When Salman Rushdie made this statement during an interview for ELLE magazine [2008], it sparked controversy. Rushdie's comment highlighted the difference between the glam, Instagram-friendly wedding as an event vs marriage as a long-time commitment that often lasts for a lifetime.
It may have taken him around four marriages to reach this conclusion. However, in the wake of different news about failed marriages, dowry deaths, crime against men/women, this statement needs due consideration, assuming that Gen Z is far more woke about tflags- green or red.
It is ok to aspire for a fanciful wedding or a lifestyle. But at what cost?
Homicidal Marriages: Easier to seek lawlessness over lawful submission
After the infamous Tandoor Kaand, Blue Drum, Sonam- Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, the Atul Subhash case, two new cases where women are allegedly killed for dowry have shaken the nation [again]. And they are not just limited to the cases in the news. There are thousands more that could never make the news and are buried after a small-time Insta post. Forget the headline or justice.
Whether it is the influence of media and cinema that often makes little girls dream of a prince riding a white horse, or leads them to a life full of bliss in a Pinterest-inspired setup. But they forget to check the entourage that comes along with that prince who turns into a frog in no time, or vice versa.
Or is the societal pressure to get married making smart men and women jump on the bandwagon, often selecting the wrong life partner? Or trouble-making in-laws with generational trauma? Or is it the dynamic socio-economic environment, where even years-long courtship couldn't survive the day, or the months?
The institution of marriage is failing. Not because men and women do not continue living in abusive relationships, but its sanctity is not honoured by either or both parties.
And that's still ok as long as both partners move away amicably. What is not ok is the constant abuse and culmination of life.
The Twisha Sharma's case
Twisha Sharma's case is an example of narcissism, misuse of power and authority.
Twisha is a young bride from Noida, married to Samarth Singh, an advocate and has moved to his Bhopal residence along with her mother -in-law Giribala Singh. After 5 months of a photogenic marriage, and an abortion, she was found dead on her marital home's terrace. Her husband was absconding, and her mother-in-law, retired district judge Giribala Singh, went around town/media mouthing criticism for the deceased girl, without worrying about her final rites.
It is an open and shut case, and a troubled example of how mental health is being misused as a decoy for Homicide.
Giri Bala Singh is akin to that every entitled mother-in-law, who thinks their son can do no wrong, but someone else's daughter is always at fault, even though she's part of their family, she will be treated as an outsider. It is the daughter-in-law who has mental issues, drug habits and whatnot.
Being a retired Judge, she knew every inch of law, and the lawmakers in the vicinity steered clear of her heinous act. Surprisingly, she got succeded doing that as well, while the bereaving family fought for their dead daughter's post-mortem and FIR to get registered in an unknown town.
Indeed, law is blind, and lawmakers are the kingmakers.
I ask, what took the police to arrest the mother-in-law immediately, or seal the crime scene until the issue became big in the media
And we burn Ravan every Dussehra, who just kidnapped Sita to his land, yet kept her respectfully.
I think it is high time Ravan's idol should be replaced with a montage of such criminals or mothers-in-law who cry trauma yet send someone else's daughter to the morgue. Rather, the crimes have been forgiven over the public visibility and memory.
We often criticised media trials, but they are instrumental in bringing public attention, accountability and sometimes justice. It is the widespread outrage in this case that brought it to the forefront, yet people are unsure of justice as the accused is an ex-judge and she clearly knows how to tickle and tackle the law, as she kept the nation busy in her dying plant sob story, while happily cleansing the crime scene for days. Maybe she will get a seat in parliament after a clean chit.
Fortune to Fortuner
Families spend a fortune on lavish Bollywood-inspired weddings by Karan Johar, Yash Chopra and Suraj Barjatya. Yet films like Vivah also remind us that marriage is a sacred commitment about values, not just grand celebrations. If positive influence outweighed negative, perhaps films would not need censorship.
Maybe next time, when a first-time demand knocks on the door, irrespective of the size and volume of wheels, know where to stop.
Perhaps the real crisis is not the marriage itself, but a society that celebrates narcissism over equality, entitlement over relationships, and power over accountability. Until value outweighs vanity, and Justice outweighs privileges, tragedies like this may continue to repeat behind closed doors.
Not every Twisha turn out dead, maybe some are suffering in silence, braving violence, toxic in-laws, a prince turned snake and fighting every day to make their marriages work. Because they know that women are not safe anywhere in this country. So before you play the "horoscope match/mismatch" game of bride and groom, or marry your right swipe, try to spend time with probable in-laws, as they are gonna influence your life henceforth, directly or indirectly.
There are no happily-ever afters; even Raja Ram and Devi Sita couldn't get one.
--------
Numerounity
----
Archives
Comments
Post a Comment
Hi Folks,
You heard me...now its time for Bouquets and Brickbats!