BOLD MOVE! Bihar woman leaves husband's house for lack of toilet

Patna: A woman in Bihar has left her husband's house after her in-laws failed to construct a toilet. She has returned to her parents' house and made it clear that she will not return until the toilet is built.

Puja Devi, in her early 20s, left the house early this week at Semapur Sakraili village in Katihar district after her repeated demand to construct a toilet was ignored by her in-laws.

"Despite my repeated request and demand to construct a toilet, neither my husband nor my in-laws paid any attention to it. This forced me to leave their house and return to my parents' house, risking my marriage. I cannot live in the house without a toilet," Puja said.

Puja recalled that six months back when she arrived in the house as newly-wed bride, she was shocked to know that there was no toilet in the house.

"Soon after I came in the house, I demanded the construction of a toilet but it was ignored by them. They neglected my request. It hurts me, as the women suffer the most in the absence of a toilet," she said.

Puja said when she realised that there was no plan to construct the toilet at her husband Prakash Mandal's house, she decided to leave his house to express her anger and teach him a lesson.

"After I left my husband's house and returned to my parents' house at Nawabganj purvi tola, my husband and in-laws tried to persuade me to return. But I refused and insisted that unless a toilet is constructed, I will not return," she said.

Puja said village panchayat intervened to resolve the issue and directed her husband and in-laws to construct a toilet at their home. But despite its order, the toilet was not constructed. "I am living with my mother and am happy," she said.

Puja said it is a shame for women to go out to defecate. A toilet is must for every home. "I was forced to move to an open field every day under the cover of darkness to defecate when I was with my husband."