@nonfeminist
Your view doesnt compliment you profile name
Now coming to your view points one by one.
Saurabh, not only boys , girls are also brought up by parents.But the difference is that girls are prepared to get ready to serve, and obey some new people after marriage.Girls are taught to respect parents in law as their own parent.But parents in law never accept her as own daughter.Rather they think the bride has taken their son away from them.A daughter in law has to serve in-laws more than their daughter.But do they allow their son to take care of his in laws like a son??
No,no no in such cases he become a HENPACKED HUSBAND!Why so???
This form-topic is leading the discussion to the point, that when parents of the boy can demand maintenance then why can't wife claim the same? But candidly without answering to this question you totally diverted the discusion to the poor condition of a girl in general. Let's try to stick to the concerned topic.
Now, regarding your view-point, any human in this world is brought up as per traditions and culture prevalent in his/her locality. In India, a girl is pressumed to live with her in-laws after her marriage. Now should we not teach her to respect the in-laws with whom she would live? Had she continued to live with her parents being unmarried, wouldn't she respect them? The story would have been different, if the boy would go and live with his wife in her house with his in-laws (ghar-jamai). Certainly he respects them even when he is at his home and not a ghar-jamai. But this respect and concern would increase if he is a "ghar-jamai". Why? Answer is simple. Take an example of office. In office, it doesn't matter if you like your boss or not. But you have to compulsarily respect and obey your boss. If you disrespect your boss, certainly when you need support he will not support you. Similarly, in a home, when you don't respect the members of your family, why would they support you? That is why special words are passed to the ears of the girl to respect the parents-in-law. It is for her own good. I hope you agree with me!!
Also, I hope you understood why a boy need not specially do something for his in-laws, as he do not live with them. But this position does not stops him to respect them. Respecting elders is the tradition which is taught to every child irrespective of gender.
Your assumption is fallacious that in-laws never accepts their daughter-in-law and are always against her. Though there are many cases in which there are certain brutality on the daughter-in-law and I strongly condemn them. But generalizing, that a daughter-in-law is always victimized, is wrong.
I can understand your position as you have seen cases in the court and you feel emotionally pity of the poor women. However, that is one case or may be you would have seen only the genuine cases of women. Had you come across the false cases filed by a woman against her husband and in-laws, you would have certainly not made these comments. I always stand with the one who deserves to be heard and who deserves justice. I agree that not all cases of 498A are false. But my fight is against this Govt. who has failed to provide proper utility of the family laws. I have always observed that those women who desperately need help, are mostly left unheard and left devastated. But those tricky and mean women who are gold-diggers (as I call them as), very easily misuse these laws. That's the tragedy of these laws. And this has left people like you fighting with others, because you only see one side of the story.
Matrimony is very complicated yet simplest institution. If we (both men & women) understand our responsibilities and unconditionally agree to fulfil them, I strongly feel, that there could never be any case under 498A, DV Act etc.
//peace
/Saurabh.V