You have heard of women's rights and various organisations and national bodies working to protect them. But there is a lesser-known party, the Mera Adhikar Rashtriya Dal (MARD), gearing up for the 2024 general elections with a bold agenda centered around men's issues.
Founded in 2009 by individuals grappling with legal challenges related to laws such as the Dowry Prohibition Act and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, MARD has campaigned under the banner of advocating for men's rights.
In a video report from one of the demonstrations of the party half a decade ago, a journalist asked some questions to its members and supporters.
“Who has to leave the job after marriage? Men or women?” the journalist asked.
“Women. But they aren’t leaving jobs now. So there are fights over who is going to make tea at home. And if women can’t handle the house, then it is a problem. A man goes to work and has to tolerate so much at office,” the supporter of the party said at Jantar Mantar, Delhi.
Another man says dowry has never existed in India and that it is derived from an Arabic word.
“Dowry has never existed in India. Has anyone here asked for dowry? These laws are made so that a man can be embroiled in a legal matter in a court of law,” he says with supporters agreeing with him. Ironically, leading the party is Kapil Mohan Choudhary, who is a candidate for the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, and has been embroiled in a dowry case for over two decades.
Seven elections later, the party has found no electoral success.
The party contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Varanasi and Lucknow, a by-election in Bangarmau in 2020, and Assembly election from Bareilly, Lucknow North, Bakshi Ka Talab (Lucknow), and Chauri Chaura in 2022.
Despite facing repeated setbacks at the polls, the party remains undeterred.
Echoing Choudhary's sentiments, MARD's electoral platform, outlined in what they call a 'MANifesto,' unveils ambitious proposals including the establishment of a 'Ministry of Men's Welfare' and a 'National Commission for Men.'
“Why aren’t you going on a candle march for the men who are being abused?” one man, delivering a speech on stage had said at the 2019 rally.
Another said, “Feminism is not about equality anymore. It’s about gender divide. You are empowering women and they are abusing the power.”
Central to their agenda is the drafting of a 'Men's Safety Bill' aimed at addressing perceived imbalances in laws favouring women and the creation of a 'Men's Power Line' to aid individuals with family-related challenges.
The party's campaign has not been without controversy, particularly due to its stance on issues such as child custody after divorce and 'halting live-in relationships,' which critics argue could impede individual freedom.
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