Tonk (Rajasthan), Sep 19 (IANS) "I may be illiterate but I am not a fool." The irate comment from 32-year-old Shakeela sliced through the gathering at the Rajasthan Women's Commission (RWC) public hearing in the state's Tonk district.

The wife of Saleem Khan from Kala Paltan village was livid about her failed vasectomy operation.

An agitated Shakeela was narrating on July 7 her tale of woe to the RWC panel, including district officials responsible for redressing women's grievances. An official asked why she had opted for the operation when she knew she was pregnant.

Shakeela started having problems after her operation six months ago. But when she went to a doctor for a medical check-up, she was told she was pregnant.

"I was not pregnant then. It happened two months after the operation," she shot back enraged. "What should I do?" she asked. "I had gone for a sterilisation operation but landed in bigger trouble."

The panel was dumbstruck. There were huddled discussions as the chief district medical officer protested saying it was a rare case since the success rate was 98 percent. But RWC chairperson Tara Bhandari was unsparing.

"There is something you can do even now," she declared sternly. "Give her the best medical treatment free of charge, and keep me posted."

There was a hint of triumph in Shakeela's eyes as chastened officials promised to do the needful.

This newfound courage of uneducated, repressed women to stand and speak up formed the silver lining of the public hearing, reports Grassroot Features.

Five hundred poor women from far-flung villages in remote Tonk district came with their tales of woe.

The event was organised by the RWC in partnership with UNICEF-Rajasthan, and the Jaipur-based Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society (CECOEDECON).

Desertion by husbands, torture for dowry, inadequate medical facilities, botched sterilisation, non-payment of widow's pension and land disputes with in-laws accounted for most of the complaints.

But some were absolutely horrifying.

Seventy-year-old Naraini Devi of Sohela lost her daughter in June last year when police fired at villagers demanding water. Naraini Devi barely escaped, though a bullet tore through her neck. She remained under treatment at Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh Hospital for months.

"My daughter was my only support," she wailed. "Now I can't even work much because of my injured fingers."

The hapless woman was finally promised a government pension and free food grains with immediate effect with the intervention of the panel chairperson.

A sobbing Kamlesh from Toda Raisingh worked hard to educate her husband and help him become a schoolmaster. On getting a job in a government school, he abandoned her because of her dark complexion and married again.

"I am forced to live with my in-laws. Where else can I go?" the 20-year-old said. She was married at the age of nine and had lost her parents.

"It is your husband who is unfortunate because he didn't care for a loving wife," Bhandari said. "He will be made to pay for his mistake."

The panel asked the district magistrate to provide legal help to Kamlesh, so that she could sue her husband for divorce and damages.

Situated 100 km from Jaipur, Tonk is a dusty desert town, once a centre of feudal Muslim culture. It was known as the Lucknow of Rajasthan. Its traditional artisans make Lamdha woollen rugs. Agriculture and sheep rearing are the main livelihoods.

The status of women and maternal health care is poor in most parts of Rajasthan. It is worse in Tonk district. Pregnant women have to be physically carried 15-20 km, to reach roads that take them to the nearest primary health centre.

Child marriage is rampant despite a legal ban. Infant mortality is at 93 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with a national average of 60. Less than a third of women are literate. More than half of all young children are malnourished.

Muffled sobs and occasionally complete breakdowns punctuated their tales. The suffering seemed endless.

Shobha Devi, 19, of Malpura was brought to the public hearing on her mother's shoulders. Her drunkard husband had literally broken her back by throwing her from their first floor, crippling her. She was turned out of the house with her three-year-old daughter.

Kaushalyadevi of Malpura was seeking protection. The villagers had declared her a witch where she lives.

After a preliminary scrutiny of complaints, CECOEDECON social workers had earmarked nearly 200 cases for the public hearing.

The panel spent the whole day listening to 45 women complainants in person. Spot orders were issued in the majority of presented cases. Most remaining complaints were clubbed department wise, and referred to concerned officials for immediate action.

"Our main aim was to listen to their grievances and help them get justice," said Tara Bhandari.

"Public hearing is now getting a positive response not only from women victims but society at large," Shikha Wadhwa of UNICEF, Rajasthan, pointed out.