Lucknow: In a seemingly bizarre move, a woman has filed an RTI query with the UP State Information Commission (UPSIC), seeking to know the caste of her husband.
The woman decided to take the RTI route after her husband’s employers refused to divulge details about his caste.
For UPSIC too, it was a unique request from a woman who had been married for almost 15 years.
The story doesn’t end here. Moving a step ahead the woman has also requested the UPSIC to let her know the number of leaves he availed throughout his working years.
Sources revealed the woman is seeking divorce alleging that her husband was from a lower caste and it had been suppressed at the time of their marriage. The woman’s plea, hence, particularly mentions to give information whether her husband is a low caster Muslim. His belonging to a lower caste may affect the future of their two children, she added.
State information commissioner Hafiz Usman said, “Since it was an arranged marriage, I asked her father if he had inquired about the man’s caste at the time of the marriage, but he had no answer”.
The husband, a resident of Bareilly and a government employee, on the other hand, has a different story to tell.
According to him, his wife is doing all this only drive his sister away from their house, which he doesn’t want.
The information commission has started counselling her in a bid to save her marriage.
The SIC said, “The woman has agreed to live with her husband only if he transfers his house in her name and is even taking half of his salary. The husband went to jail based on her complaint in past , but is still ready to settle the case and save their marriage”.
The information commission said a woman may seek personal details about husband without being treated as third party. “But the role of RTI is not limited to ensuring passage of information. It is actually to bring a positive change in lives of people,” he said.
