Upset over anti-male policies by politicians, men’s activists field candidate in Karnataka Assembly elections

"A man facing domestic violence or stalking cannot complain. No police will take his complaint or protect him," say Vijay Sahu, a software professional and men's activist.

Recently, a woman and a man together pushed a 56-year old man in front of a local train in Mumbai just because she thought that he molested her. The number of such incidents is rapidly increasing in India.

There are 500,000 separations or divorces every year and family courts delay months and years when men ask for access to their own children. Many young men are asked to pay 5 to 7 years of their income as one-time alimony during mediations conducted by family courts or police stations during handling marital disputes. More than 20,000 married men commit suicide due to family reasons every year in India. When it comes to domestic violence or stalking against men, the existing laws do not provide any protection to men.

As politicians of all major parties ignore many of the issues faced by ordinary men and some even indulge in male bashing and sexism against men, Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF), a men's rights NGO is now urging men activists  to contest in elections as independent candidates with an aim that both men and women must be treated equally by Government and court system.

Its activists have fielded Satish Babu, a software engineer as a candidate in prestigious BTM Layout constituency in South Bangalore. He is contesting against Home Minister of the State Ramalinga Reddy.

In  2019 Lok Sabha elections, men's activists will put a candidate against Women's Minister Maneka Gandhi, who is giving regular statements against men and boys. In next year's Delhi assembly elections, men's activists want to field 5 candidates.

More than 100 men's activists are campaigning for Satish Babu now. They are distributing pamphlets and meeting people in the parks. They have unleashed online campaign as well.

"Is it a big demand, if we are asking Governments to treat men and women equally and not to harm men and boys in the name of empowering women? Hate politics has to end. Our main focus is judicial reforms and accountability. Judges have to be answerable for their judgements and judges must follow constitution instead of discriminating anyone on the basis of gender. Many men going through litigation in family courts have committed suicide. " Says Anil Kumar, life coach and founder of SIFF.

Though their main issues are related to human rights violations and denial of justice to men, judicial reforms and police reforms, their manifesto covers other issues as well.

As SIFF has a large number of software professionals, they are ready to lend their expertise and create policies for better Governance like having more senior citizen friendly policies with introduction of shared E-Rickshaws in localities, suicide  prevention and well-being policies, smart cities and villages for better garbage segregation and saving water and how artificial intelligence can be used for better Governance, especially for reducing huge pendency of court cases in the state.

The campaign is getting good attention from people in Koramangala and BTM area of the constituency, who are fed up with established politicians and divisive politics.

Manifesto of Satish Babu, Independent candidate for BTM Layout seat:

• Judicial accountability and reforms.
• Police Reforms
• Strong policies to prevent human rights violations of ordinary people.
• Senior Citizen friendly policies.
• More focus and policies on emotional well-being of people.(Creation of well being Centers for ordinary people in the lines of Govt hospitals)
• Equal treatment of men and women and girl child and boy child.
• Smart cities/villages for better waste segregation and optimal water usage
• Rethinking of all bus routes and use of technology to reduce traffic.
• Policies to enable usage of Artificial Intelligence for better Governance.
• Policies to punish people who file false litigations and waste court's time.