In the matter of marriage between man and woman, that is, in life as husband and wife, it can be said that in no other country such atrocities are committed as in our own. If it is to be expressed in short, the philosophy of marriage here, is nothing but that which leads to the enslavement of women by men. The rituals etc. are only intended to cover up this enslavement and cheat women, in addition, by giving it a meaningless and bogus label of divine marriage we indeed deceive them.
Fair-minded people anywhere cannot deny the fact that generally, that is, not only in our country but the entire world, women are treated most cruelly and forced to behave unnaturally in the matter of marriage. But our own country is clearly the worst- behaved in this. If these cruelties are continued in the same way, within a short while, that is, half a century or so, all marriage formalities and marriage relationships will totally disappear from all over the world. It is on account of this, that learned men everywhere are relaxing the constraints on women. However, our country alone like a monkey, is doggedly holding on to the same old practices. That is why there is an urgent need for a radical women’s movement here. In the Chengalpet Self-Respect Conference, a resolution was passed to the effect that both men and women ought to have the right of divorce in marriage, later at the women’s conference, Chennai a resolution again was passed demanding that a law on marriage be enacted. At this, many, including those who parade themselves as reformers raised a hue and cry as though everything was lost. However, after the Chengalpet resolution, in several places both India and abroad laws for annulment of marriage have been enacted. In Russia, marriage is being treated as a daily contract. A law was brought in Germany providing for the annulment of marriage without even adducing reasons, if so desired by the parties concerned. This is a matter known to everyone. More recently, the state of Baroda also has enacted in their Legislative Assembly a law for annulment of marriage. There has been a similar law in many Western countries. It needs to be said that it is a matter for concern, that in our country alone no one is bothered to think of making a law in this matter. We have been reading in the daily newspapers that generally in the south many men are committing murders on account of suspicion concerning the behaviour of their wives. Some times we also read that multiple murders took place on suspicion of the behaviour of a single wife. People of inveterate religiosity do not have the basic sense to question why do marriage of “divine nature” end up like this? If the world of women is to progress, that is, they also are to actualise their own human dignity, human rights and self respect, for men satisfaction, happiness, true love, and morality were to be possible, it is important that space must be created for the cancellation of marriage. Until then, for both men and women true happiness and life of freedom will be impossible.
Many of our reformers raise a hue and cry on the issue of one man having two wives. It is not clear to us, on what count such a din is raised because of religion or rationalism? Or do they speak like this on account of human morality? We will dilate on this some other occasion. We want to ask this of those who oppose a man marrying more than one woman is marriage for human happiness and satisfaction or for ritual rectitude. We ask, what is the duty of a man who for some reason or other becomes the husband of an unwilling, cantankerous or sexually deficient woman? In the same way, what is the fate of a woman, who happens to get a similar man as her husband? If marriage is indeed divine and is indissoluble as claimed, would such inadequacies and complications occur? This alone is sufficient to understand that the claim of the divine marriage is a complete fraud.
Therefore, if a law is not enacted soon in our country for the annulment or marriage just as they exist in others, it may be that propaganda against marriage itself as well as in favour of multiple spouses both for men and women will have to be carried out.
