An Indian state has told newly-wedded women to avoid
talking too much on their mobile phones for the first two years of
marriage in case it provokes jealousy from their husbands.
The Punjab State Commission for Women (PSCW) issued an official
advisory last week urging brides "to focus on their domestic life
instead of having long conversations on mobile phones".
Commission head Gurdev Kaur Sangha told AFP on Monday that the
advice was designed to avoid suspicion between new couples as they
adjust to their new life together.
"I found that almost 40 per cent of women consider seeking a
divorce on the grounds that her husband and in-laws do not like her
talking on mobile phones," said Sangha, 70, from Chandigarh, the
state capital of Punjab.
"Most husbands said their wives are always on the phone and they
doubted their character as they suspected them of talking to
ex-boyfriends."
Sangha said she had seen a rise in complaints from women about
domestic violence, sexual harassment and family discord due to
arguments over brides being constantly on the phone.
The advisory said most newly-married women were actually ringing
their parents not former boyfriends, but warned that passing on
hourly updates about their new home was damaging.
It added that for at least two years brides should make "small
adjustments" to help build a solid foundation for a marriage.