Originally posted by: HalleNJ
Kasturi is playing victim. She was the one who agreed to sarubai's terms, now behaving as though she was cheated. Also Selfish kasturi knows private money lending is illegal and still went to sarubai to seek financial help.
From what I could find on the internet, India and its different states have laws against money-lending without a license, with the intent to deter lenders from charging exorbitant interest, and with the effect that illegal lenders can't take their borrowers to court.
Does the law prescribe any penalty for the borrower? If not, Kasturi did nothing illegal by taking Saru's money. If Saru doesn't have a license, the law doesn't recognize the loan, and that allows Kasturi to keep it as a gift. Even if Saru has a license, she can only require Kasturi to repay the loan with legally regulated interest. The contract obligating Kasturi to marry Jaggu is unenforceable.
Nilesh warned Jaggu that the contract with Kasturi's signature could send him to prison for five years because sāvakārī is illegal. Maybe it's common knowledge that Saru doesn't have a license. However, it would be a stretch to prove that Jaggu is criminally responsible for his mother lending her money.
"Selfish" is not the right word for someone who risks her safety with an illegal transaction to save someone else's life. Clearly, Kasturi doesn't feel safe with Jaggu, anticipating that when he has married her, he'll force her to have sex that she doesn't want. Anyone who is being threatened with unwanted sex is a victim. Even the Supreme Court of India last year recognized that marital rape is rape, although it's not yet a crime in India.
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