Date:27/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/27/stories/2008112762050300.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Youth must strive to end dowry system: Sreemathy

Staff Reporter

Photo: S. Gopakumar

Wake-up call: Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy inaugurating a seminar as part of the Anti-Dowry Day at the Government Women’s College in the city on Wednesday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Speakers at a one-day seminar at the Government Women’s College here on Wednesday highlighted the need for concerted action to check the practice of dowry. Inaugurating the seminar organised as part of Anti-Dowry Day, Minister for Health and Social Welfare P.K. Sreemathy said that this practice had diminished the value of women’s individuality and the merit of their educational qualification.

“Because of this social evil, people tend to judge a woman solely in terms of the number of sovereigns her family is capable of giving as dowry during her marriage,” she said. “These days, the girl’s personality or her educational qualification is not a criterion for the groom’s family. Only her family’s wealth counts. Even when the girl has a remunerative job, her family is obliged to give huge sums in dowry,” she said.

The Minister pointed out that dowry was also the root cause of many other malpractices in the society including female foeticide which is still rampant in North India. “Legislation alone cannot check social evils like dowry. We need determined youth, both men and women, who can raise their voice against it,” Ms. Sreemathy said.

MLA V. Sivankutty presided over the function. Health and Social Welfare secretary Usha Titus, Social Welfare director K.K. Mony, regional assistant director A. Sheela, were present. Ms. Titus said women must not hesitate to report dowry related abuse. “Only 68 complaints have been registered before the three dowry prohibition officers in the State since the enforcement of dowry prohibition rules in 2004. In districts like Idukki and Pathanamthitta not even a single complaint has been registered,” she said.

‘Give Act more teeth’

She added that the Dowry Prohibition Act needed to be strengthened further to meet its objective. “Fixing a limit for marriage expenses at a certain percentage of the total declared asset of the family could be one step in that direction,” she said.

Social Welfare Department regional assistant director A. Sheela said the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 itself had many loopholes.

“Under the Act, dowry has been defined as property or any valuable security given by the bride’s family to the groom’s family before or after marriage. But the term does not include personal gifts, including valuable gifts, given to the bride or groom. Usually it is under this clause that people give or demand dowry in Kerala,” she said.