“Commanding dowry or accepting it can never be a question of status. Accepting of dowry is worse than running a brothel,” commented writer, Jyoti Guruprasad.
She was speaking after inaugurating the Anti-dowry Meet organized at the NGO Hall in the city by Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Sunday November 14. She urged the society to realize that the practice of giving dowry along with their daughters, and handing over girls like bonded labourers to the families of boys, is highly inhuman.
“Honour killings are increasingly happening because of the dowry system. The number of murders under the guise of honour killings is increasing, as the families, in addition to being driven to protect the prestige of their respective castes or creeds, are also powered by the anger at the fact that love marriages rob them of the opportunity to demand dowry,” she analyzed.
Lecturer of Vijaya College Mulky, Shailaja, called upon the women to drive away the deep-rooted ideas about morality and traditions from their minds. “We should not get bogged down by our beliefs about ethics and morals in everything we do. The entire lives of women should not be wasted in serving others. They should share the power that is presently enjoyed by men. Shed the mindset of accepting men as more powerful and more prominent members of family. Give birth to a child, only if you are able to care for it and bring it up. There is no need to think that the protection and care of husband is needed for a woman to lead a life of fulfilment,” she advised.
DYFI district president, Munir Katipalla, who presided, felt that dowry system has come to stay because of the support the system receives from women folk. “There are girls who demand gold ornaments and dowry from their parents, on par with their elder sisters. The drive to fight against evils is dying down of late. For example, the student movements are being crushed through semester examination system,” he claimed.
DYFI district women’s sub-committee secretary, Pramila K, city secretary, Reshma Mulky, and DYFI city secretary, B K Imtiaz Kana, were present.
(courtesy :Dajiworld)
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