Parents should support daughters, says India's 'divorce party' father
An Indian man who won social media acclaim after organising a celebration to mark his daughter's split from her husband has called on other parents to follow his example.
On October 15, on the first day of Hindu festival Navratri, Prem Gupta arrived at the house of his daughter Sakshi's in-laws with a musical band and fireworks to bring her back to his home after she complained of mistreatment. He shared the footage on social media saying he wanted to show how precious his daughter was to him
"I wish to encourage such girls to confide in their parents, and parents should also support their daughters,” Prem Gupta told Global South World.
Gupta, who lives in Ranchi, the capital of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, said that his daughter Sakshi was married in April 2022. However, within a year the marriage started to go wrong, ultimately leading to her filing a divorce petition.
The issue of divorce carries a stigma in much of India, which compounds other issues such as domestic abuse. However Sakshi's father, who runs a brick kiln, not only supported her but also publicly celebrated her return home.
Women at risk
Recent statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau, an agency compiling data for the government, show as many as 428,278 cases of crimes against women were reported in 2021, marking a 15.3 percent jump compared to the 371,503 cases recorded in 2020.
The highest numbers of reported cases were linked to "cruelty by the husband or his family members", making up 31.8 percent of the total cases, followed by "assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty" at 20.8 percent, "kidnapping and abduction of women" at 17.6 percent, and "rape" at 7.4 percent.
Sakshi Gupta said she was packing her belongings when she heard the sound of drums. She thought it was a wedding procession passing by. But she was surprised when she went outside and saw that it was her father and other family members.
Her father was cheerful and, as she stepped outside, she saw him smiling which helped ease the pain of her separation and gave her a determination to start life afresh.
According to Sakshi, her father regards girls as embodiments of Lakshmi, the Indian Goddess of wealth.
Speaking to Global South World about her future plans, Sakshi says she aims to attain financial independence.
"I have a graduate degree in fashion design, and I intend to resume my studies. I cherish the dream of opening my own boutique because I am very passionate about clothing,” she said.
Showing the way
Sakshi has become an inspiration for other girls and she receives messages from many girls like her who seek advice and guidance when they find themselves trapped in difficult circumstances. "I have shown them the way, and I will continue to do so in the future," says Sakshi.
Prem Gupta shared a message for girls in similar situations, saying, "I wish to encourage such girls to confide in their parents, and parents should also support their daughters.”
Kumud Singh, secretary of Sarokar, an organization working on gender equality in central India said, “By celebrating his daughter's homecoming after separation from husband, Prem Gupta sent a clear message that if your daughter is not happy in her married life then encourage her to raise her voice so that she does not feel that she is alone and has no other home.”
“He has really shown the way to other Indian parents,” Singh added.
