Pune: SIFF Initiates Campaign To Reform Alimony Laws

The Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF), a men's rights NGO, has initiated a campaign aimed at reforming alimony laws across the nation. Recently, SIFF activists took to the District Court in Pune's Shivajinagar to raise awareness about the prevailing alimony laws in India. Conducting a rally around the court premises, they garnered positive responses from litigants and also submitted their demands to the Principal Judge of the court.

Sagar Gunthal, SIFF Counsellor, stated, "Indian courts often mandate exorbitant alimony amounts in matrimonial cases, even prompting financially independent women to claim substantial alimony. Hence, we've launched the 'Woman is a burden' campaign, using '#1CroreAlimony' on social media."

"We've received encouraging responses, with multiple posts garnering millions of views and significant attention. It underscores the looming threat of alimony, which impacts husbands across various walks of life if marriages don't go as planned," he added.

SIFF co-founder, Anil Murty, emphasised, "The situation is dire for men, especially those in short marriages. It's absurd that a man married for just six months is expected to pay ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore in alimony. If unable to comply, he faces the prospect of selling property or even civil imprisonment. How can a man earning ₹5 lakh/year afford such exorbitant sums?"

He further elaborated, "The judiciary's tacit endorsement of this alimony trend persists, despite numerous women empowerment schemes launched since the 90s. This has led to the emergence of a cohort of women seeking alimony, often abandoning well-established careers. It's evident that many women-centric laws are being grossly misused."

SIFF advocates for alimony decisions to be based on the duration of the marriage, rather than imposing a lifelong financial burden on husbands.