[From The Times of India] SHIMLA: The tribal valley of Kinnaur is witnessing a quiet revolution as women have joined hands to fight a draconian law which deprives them of ancestral property. The campaign is reaching out to each and every village to form public opinion before requesting the governor and President to change the law in this regard.
Located close to Indo-China border, women in Kinnaur have no right to property of their parents and husband which leaves them at the mercy of people who inherit the same. On seeing hundreds of women in the district leading a miserable life for no fault of theirs, a 59-year-old social activist Ratan Manjri has taken up cudgels to unite women against the draconian law so that the future of tribal women could be secured.
It is not uncommon to see unmarried girls in every household of KInnaur district, but not many would know that their future rests depends on male members who inherit the ancestral property.
In the entire tribal district, Manjri is the lone woman who has inherited ancestral property, despite having a brother, as her mother wrote the entire agricultural land in her name at Ribba village. "If this is possible in my case, why not for other women?" she asked.
Manjri said tribal laws allow only men the right to ancestral property. "Even the wife has no right on her husband’s assets, which are directly transferred to sons leaving the women at the mercy of children," she said. "If parents will the ancestral property to their girl child, then she would be entitled for it. But if parents don’t do it, then she can’t claim the property even legally,’ Manjari said.
Having formed Mahila Kalyan Parishad to create awareness about rights of women and educate them how the patriarchal laws are barring them from inheriting property, Manjri, who is also the chairperson of parishad, with the help of her associates, has so far collected signatures of 3,000 women, demanding a change in the law.
After collecting maximum signatures by December 15, the draft would be presented at the gram sabha of 65 panchayats of district for discussion. It would then be sent to governor and President in the form of a representation, she said. Braving the nail-biting chill of the tribal valley, the women are moving from village to village to enlist support. The campaign would continue even if the entire valley is covered under snow as their end goal is to ensure amendment to the customary laws, Manjri said.
"The state government is talking about Beti Hai Anmol scheme while the Union government is concerned about female foeticide and dwindling sex ratio, but no one is taking care of women and girls, who are left to their fate in Kinnaur," Manjri added.