Antah (Rajasthan): On a unique protest, Krishna Kumar Dhakad stirs boiling tea at a roadside stall in Antah, in Rajasthan, his hands cuffed. Not only that a 'sehra' (wedding turban) too hangs in the stall to remind him of his marriage that landed him in a dowry harassment case. And this stall - 498A Tea Cafe - he runs right in front of his in-laws' house.
Naming it as per the Indian Penal Code section, Krishna sells hundreds of cups of tea at the stall after he was pulled to the court of law for alleged dowry harassment, and raising this charge against him was none other than his wife. The wedding memorabilia 'varmala' is hung on one of the walls and slogans like “Chai tab tak ubalegi, jab tak nyay na mile” (The tea will keep boiling till justice is served), are dotted all over the café, which has become the talking point of the town.
The 33-year-old from Athana village in Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh, says he has been wrongly accused of dowry harassment under Section 498A and maintenance under Section 125 by his wife. His lawyer says the legal case has been on since 2023 but after being granted bail, Krishna decided to go the unorthodox way by publicly demonstrating that he is not at fault but being dragged into a case falsely. For this, he chose to serve tea in handcuffs, so that he gets an opportunity to present his side of the story when people ask.
“I always wanted to become a civil servant. But look where I am and what I am doing. I am serving tea as a way of protesting the wrong done to me. I want people to know what happens when the law is misused,” says Krishna, with anger.
However, his wife's lawyer has a different story to tell. “My client was harassed mentally and financially by Krishna and his family. It’s the man and his family who were wrong from the start,” says advocate Dinesh Kumar Kewat, the counsel.
Krishna did not know that he would have to pass through such difficult times after his marriage. He tied the knot with a girl from Antah on July 6, 2018. Together, he and his wife, started a beekeeping business in 2019, which gained attention across Madhya Pradesh. Even his wife was felicitated on April 8, 2021 by the then Chief Minister for her enterprise.
But 2022 proved a turning point as the relationship between wife and husband turned sour. His wife returned to her parental home and filed a case accusing Krishna of dowry harassment and mental cruelty. Krishna alleges that his wife demanded Rs 25 lakh in exchange for a divorce and also took away their joint property.
"I have none but my elderly mother with me now. I am forced to be present at the court of law in every hearing. It is a 250 km journey to the court. My time and energy gets wasted for this case and my life has become hell. My dreams are shattered," says Krishna with a choked voice.
Krishna’s lawyer, Manzoor Hasan, says he was granted bail at the police station since the charges levelled were bailable. “We are now in a crucial stage of the trial. Krishna has cooperated in the investigation,” he adds.
But the woman’s advocate Kewat alleges, “They even used her cheque book to pay others, which led to bounced cheques and more cases against my client. She was harassed." He also refers to an incident when Krishna attempted to end his life during a counselling session in Antah.
Meanwhile, since the bee-keeping enterprise shut down, loans remain unpaid. Her lawyer says, she has been forced to pay the EMIs with lot of difficulty.
But Krishna is hell bent on proving his innocence. He protests the tea stall way and draws the attention of curious passersby. The slogans like “Chai par charcha: 125 kitna chukana padega?” (Let’s talk over tea: How much will we have to pay for Section 125?) keep sparking conversations among the people who consume tea at the stall.
While the matter is in the court of law and it will eventually decide guilty or innocent, Krishna's street café has made many people sit up and take notice.
Krishna though ensures, tea is served.. but with symbols of protest.
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