Hyderabad, August 27: A lecture on the Dowry and its Social, Economic, and Pyschological repercussions.Prof. Rehana Sultana, Director, Centre of Women’s Studies Moulana Azad National University
Prof. Rehana Sultana Lecture, at Hussaini Alam Women’s Degree College.
The speaker said that the Family is the unit of the society and both Man and woman form a whole and only when both of them come together in good understanding and work in tandem can they form a good family, hence a society, hence a country and thus the world.
Man is basically animal by Nature. He needs to fulfill certain of his basic instincts and desires. Man cannot fulfill them alone in isolation. Hence he needs to marry, form a family and set up a household. Man and woman are equal partners in the family. But in our society, over the years, rather down the centuries it has become, now a well accepted norm and fact that the Man is given superiority over the woman which is not proper rather condemnable said the Professor. At the outset she said, “Giving Dowry to the girl in Marriage in to undermine her status.”
When a boy wants to s settle down he marries and sets up a home. For that he demands dowry from the girl’s parents. Cash, Luxury items, various household goods and also vehicle. In fact these have become minimum. These has become the well accepted norm and tradition. And nobody dare question it.
But the Professor said, this attitude and thinking must change. The society should be told and taught to change this tradition through various persuasive and admonitory ways. On the one hand stringent anti-dowry laws are enacted on the other hand the government seems to promote this dowry system in a way.
The government seems to be encouraging this trend in a way by introducing schemes. Like the various Girl child schemes and policies of government and non-governmental organizations. Right from the birth they are encouraged to take up policies and saving schemes to provide for the girls’ dowry when she comes of age. Is it not encouraging dowry system in a way? The Professor asked. A serious thought should be given in this direction. Does it not reek of the double standards of the society the professor posed.
Right from the birth of the girl child the preparation and arrangements for dowry are made. It is but natural that the people should think the birth of the girl child a bane and bringing her up a burden.
To avoid this they resort to various underhand and unlawful and even unnatural way and recourses.
Thus, in our society the woman on the birth of a girl child is not respected which is no fault of hers, in fact she is held responsible rather guilty for the birth of a girl child.
Woman is a mother, sister, daughter and a wife. And she does equal justice in every relationship. Despite this, to think that she is weak is grossly unjust. Woman should use her faculties to better her prospects and fight for her rights and justice especially to end the scourge of dowry.
She said Dowry is just not valid or legitimate in Islamic way. We have adapted it from others. To fulfill our desires and wishes demanding dowry off the girls family is grossly incorrect nay inhuman and condemnable.
Dr. Safdar Askari, Reader Urdu Dept. Women’s Govt. Degree College, Hussaini Alam said the curse of dowry can be got rid of only when there is consciencious awakening in the society. Educated Girls should form groups and discuss these issues to fight it and put an end to its menace.