Date:09/06/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/06/09/stories/2003060905870100.htm

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

'Anti-dowry movement gaining momentum'

By Ramya Kannan

Chennai June 8. Leaders of the women's movement in Tamil Nadu have decided to make the two recent anti-dowry incidents — Vidya in Chennai and Nisha Sharma in Delhi calling off their marriages because of new demands — prototypes for young brides, harassed by greedy grooms and their families.

The women have given the anti-dowry movement an unexpected fillip, providing it with "positive role models". "This is the spark we have been waiting for. An occasion for us to take the campaign further than we could have managed otherwise," says a woman activist.

The follow-up action by the police and the media attention that these two women have attracted have helped in sending the message across to grooms and their families that the consequences of demanding dowry are sure to be severe, says Vasuki, representative of the All India Democratic Women's Association.

The courage of the two brides in reporting dowry harassment on the eve of the wedding has been most inspiring, add police officials, who believe that the cases will enable them to take the anti-dowry message to every nook and cranny of the State. "More women will be now take courage to come to a police station," says a senior police official.

The number of crime cases against women has been on the rise. In 2002, (till April 30) a total of 2,005 cases (rape, attempted rape, molestation, kidnapping, abduction, eve-teasing, dowry death and cruelty by husband) were reported. Of these, the number of dowry death cases was 89,while the number of incidents of harassment by husband and his family was 322 cases. By the end of the year, there was an increase of almost 1,200 cases in this particular segment, according to police records. Though some organisations have sounded the alarm bells, the Government prefers to look at it from a "positive point of view".

"Of the 1,200 cases, nearly 800 were registered at 60 new police stations. Last year, we opened the maximum number of police stations throughout the State. Our studies show that the opening of a "new" police station is directly linked to "increase" in crimes in the area. But the fact is that "reportage" of crimes has increased. The same is the case with dowry," the official points out.

The official argument is that with increasing awareness, the number of cases reported is likely to rise, reaches a plateau and then the downswing begins. "The reportage might be high, but the rising cases are cause for concern," Ms. Vasuki says. "Though women go to the AWPS, the treatment they get there often leaves much to be desired".

The National Federation of Indian Women representative, K. Shanthakumari, says it is more important to look at how redressal is effected. Though two `Mahila Courts' have been put in place and fast track courts set up, trial in a dowry harassment/ death case is long drawn-out and tiresome for the woman and her family. More attention must be paid to evidence gathering and framing of charges, she adds.

Police sources explain that charge sheets were framed in 75 per cent of cases registered in 2002, and convictions secured in 1,500 cases. But they add that efforts will be taken to increase the number of women in the force, inaugurate more women's courts, establish more women's police stations and conduct gender sensitisation programmes for personnel.