'Men's Lives Matter': Law Students Move Supreme Court Seeking 'Gender Neutral' Provisions On Sexual Offences

Two law students have moved the Supreme Court seeking directions for reconsideration and amendment of provisions under the Indian Penal Code relating to sexual offences against women, to make them 'gender neutral'. Saying that "Men's Lives Matter", the petitioners have sought directions to reconsider the laws for offences against women under IPC including Sexual Harassment ( 354A-354D) Rape( Sec 376) criminal intimidation ( Sec 506) Insulting the modesty of women( Sec 509) and Cruelty to women (498A). The petitioners have argued that such provisions are discriminatory on the ground of gender and affects the fundamental right to equality of men, and hence was violative of Articles 14 and 15(1) of the Constitution.In the plea, the petitioners make statements such as : Fake feminism has polluted the Country. Girls do acts of fake feminism by attacking innocents men to gain attraction of public.Women intentionally assault men and destroy the dignity and respect of innocent boys who get stuck with fake feminists.Law has given women sharp edged weapon like power without any reasonable restriction. Citing the recent case from Lucknow where a girl was seen slapping a cab driver, the petitioner has argued that 'trend of misuse' of sexual offence laws by women is at rise, 'sabotaging respect, honour, the dignity of men' According to the two petitioners, Anam Kamil and Shrikant Prasad, these laws were made 150 years ago when there was actually need of such laws for the upliftment of women but they are not needed as women are developed and empowered now. "Presumption of society and laws that women are weak and oppressed community are not sustainable according to prevailing society, they are even much much stronger than humans. It is all because the law has given them very powerful sharp-edged weapon like power without any reasonable restriction and how to use those power." the plea reads. According to the petitioners, in today's era of social media, women intentionally assault and brutally attack men while her companion makes video clips to make it viral on social media and "the dignity, respect, honour, career of such innocent boys who gets stuck with such fake feminists" are completely finished. The petitioners have gone ahead and compared the impugned laws with decriminalisation of consensual gay sex and homosexuality in 2018, saying that in the same way, the society and the legislature should recognise the crimes of cruelty and harassment being committed against males. "But what about a man who was charged with the offence of rape and is proven innocent. Does society treat him in the same way as they used to do before he was trapped in a false case? The answer is no." the petitioners have remarked.

'Men's Lives Matter': Law Students Move Supreme Court Seeking 'Gender Neutral' Provisions On Sexual Offences

Srishti Ojha

The petitioners argue that the IPC provisions need reconsideration as they are being misused by women.

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