From: Save Indian Family Foundation

           www.saveindianfamily.org To Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi

The divorce and separation rate is rapidly increasing in Delhi. However, our society and judiciary are unable to grapple with this situation. It is estimated that separation and divorce rate for young people in Delhi is as high as 10% now and it is expected increase fast in recent years.

Today, thousands of young men, who are separated from their wives, have lost access to their small children. Without courts orders, they can not meet or spend time with their children. Often courts take many months and years to give orders of child visitation. Most often, women do not follow court orders and refuse to allow fathers to meet their own children. Fathers who attempt to meet their children in schools risk being implicated in many more false cases. So, often school administration also denies the fathers the access to their children.

This has become a serious problem for thousands of young men in Delhi.   Please imagine, the plight of a small 4 or 5 year old child, who no longer sees his or her father after one fine day. The child certainly misses the father and feels the pain as the memory of father slowly fades away.

A recent survey by us has shows that more than 80% men, who lost access to their children during separation have gone through depression. Many of them have also contemplated suicide. All over India, such fathers are gradually getting united and protesting against this injustice by an insensitive system.

Scientific research in western countries have shown that fatherless children are much more likely to commit suicide, commit rape and take to other crimes.   Our requests to you:
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1) to make the family courts at Delhi to give visitation orders within 15 days of a father or a non-custodial parent approaching the court.

2) Special facilities and children's play areas must be created in family courts for child visitation. Such facilities exist in Family courts in Bangalore.

3) Courts and mediation centers in courts must ensure that women or custodial parents ensure involvement of fathers or non-custodial parents in upbringing of the child or children, the couple have.

4) The child must be allowed to spend half of the holidays with father or non-custodial parent.  

4) The custodial parent, who violates court order of giving the child access to non-custodial parent, must be punished and fined as per existing laws.

Best Regards