In an answer to a question in Indian Parliament, the government stated that Indians missions and posts abroad received 3,768 petitions from distressed Indian women on complaints related to dowry and ill-treatment by NRI husbands during 2014-17.
In a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha yesterday, VK Singh, minister of state in the Indian external affairs ministry, said, “In 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Indian missions abroad received 276, 796 and 1,510 dowry-related and ill-treatment complaints respectively.”
“In 2017, the missions received 1,186 complaints,” Singh added.
"The ministry including the Indian Missions/posts have assisted the Indian women distressed by NRI spouses through counselling, guidance and information about procedures, mechanisms for serving judicial summons on the overseas Indian husband," Singh said.
He also stated that support including filing a case in India, issuing lookout notice, impounding and revocation of Indian passport of the husband, getting access to lawyers and NGOs empanelled with Indian missions, and legal and financial assistance under the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) are also provided to the distressed women.
The question on the inclusion of Hindi as an official language at the United Nations was taken up by MJ Akbar, minister of state in the external affairs ministry, who said the government continues to take measures for its acceptance and was trying to popularise Hindi worldwide.