NRI Marriages:Anew Face of Crime Against Women in Punjab

In the emerging new status hierarchy in the in marriage market of the region, NRI marriages occupy the top position. With dwindling fortunes m agriculture and ever rising cost of agricultural production there has been consistent devaluing of land is an economic failure. With disenchantment to the Green Revolution technology already established, overseas destination emerges as a major pull factor for marriage induced international migration. The young generation looks at farming as a demotional choice making. The situation, however, is very grim particularly in rural Punjab though at times even the urban and educated populace become victim to this malady Even daughters of well-placed bureaucrats have been found to be the victims of this tragedy NRI marriages are rising m Punjab because they are solemnized primarily to create channels to get over the legalities of marriage and rising restrictions on immigration m developed countries. Punjabi women many NRIs to get permanent residence or citizenship abroad and latter on they are sexually, economically and socially exploited and is dumped m Punjab forever Therefore proposed paper will attempt to analyse and understand the phenomenon of NRI marriages keeping women at the centre, primarily,asavictim.Thestudyisblendofboththequalitativeandquantitativemethodofdata collection. The study relates to the State of Punjab. For the present paper four cases were drawn from the two districts of Punjab namely Jalandhar and Kapurthala and an attempt has been made to examine the factors factors driving Indian girls and their families into contracting such marriages and to explore the reasons for desertion. Therefore proposed study will attempt to analyse and understand the phenomenon of NRI marriages keeping women at the centre,primarily,as a victim, with in the theoretical framework of gender studies.