"Please come. This is my Laddoo's in-laws house." Parvati asked the rest of the other ladies and inspector along with two constables inside Maheshwari house.
"Kakisaa, what is all this? Who are these people?" Words were out from Sujata even before she realised.
"Hi, my name is Vandana and these are my colleagues. We are from Naari Niketan Samaj, we work for women's welfare. Parvatiji complained to us that her grand-daughter who is also your daughter in law, is facing domestic violence from this family." One lady in her early 40's intervened, providing reason for their visit.
"Domestic violence? What rubbish is this?" Sanskar spoke unbelievingly. "Listen, Ms. Vandana you have some misconception..."
"Did you see how these people are reacting?" Parvati's anger filled voice boomed in the living hall of Maheshwari house. "From the day my Ragini got married in this family, they have harassed her mentally as well as physically. When they realised my Ragini cannot conceive and won't be able to give an heir to this family. They started torturing her. They kept her locked in the room, restricting any communication with us and the outside world."
"What are you saying Kakisa?" Annapurna along with the rest other Maheshwari join everyone at the living hall.
"This is Annapurna Maheshwari, she is my Ladoo's mother in law. Ask her if she was forcing her son Laksh, who is my grand-daughter's husband to throw my Ragini out of this house. Even being married to my Ragini, she was manipulating him to divorce my Ragini and get married to another girl." Parvati pointed out venting her frustrations.
"This is Swara, their other daughter in law, now that she is pregnant, these people are mistreating and humiliating my Ragini every day. My Ragini could not bear their daily taunts and harassment, their actions led my Laddoo to go into deep depression. Under depression, only she consumed those sleeping pills. And two days back, my beloved grand-daugther was lying unconsciously on a hospital bed fighting between life and death." Parvati started shedding crocodile tears.
"This is not the whole truth..." Annapurna tried to contradict.
"But did you ask Ragini to not join any family events or gatherings? Did you want Ragini to leave your son and this house?" Vandana, lead of the Women's welfare association asked.
"Yes I had asked." Annapurna replied.
"Just because she could not conceive due to her medical conditions. How narrow minded people are you? In this 21 century still you are blaming a woman for her incapability. Being a woman you should have understood her pain but no..." Vandana raised her voice.
"Excuse me, you don't know the full details. Every coin has another side. You are blaming us by hearing only one side." Sanskar tried to intervene. Even though he had some issues with his Badi Ma, he could never see her getting insulted by an outsider.
"Ha ha.. You will for sure take her side now. Now that your wife is pregnant, she is going to give the heir to this family. What do you think? Now you and your wife can snatch my Ladoo's rights on the legacy of this family." Parvati threw murderous glares at Swara.
"Are you hearing yourself, Dadi?" Swara criticised. "How can you say this?"
"Swara, calm down. You should not stress in this condition." Sujata pulled her daughter in law back.
"Mom is right, Swara. Mom, please take her upstairs." Sanskar suggested.
"Why? Why will she go upstairs? Why are you trying to hide her? She is equally responsible for my Laddoo's condition." Parvati pointed at Swara. She continued, "Ask her, even being a step sister, did she ever help my Ragini? She always interfered and tried to break my Laddoo's marriage, because she wanted to be a solitary voice in this house."