The tradition of dowry has been very old in our country. Intially dowry was in form of some useful items a girl’s parents and relatives gave her upon marriage so as to assist her in her new home. Also dowry was encouraged because the laws then had it that the boys inherited all the property his parents had but the girls did not get any share in the property so the dowry was, in a way, given as compensation. Gradually dowry became a status symbol and girls’ parents took it as a personal status showing. We all have heard parents talking about what some distant relative or a neighbour gave their daughter in marriage and we have to match that standard. All is well as long as parents are happily giving somehing to their daughters. The problem arises when the groom or his parents put forward undue demands and the bride’s parents are not able to fulfil the demands. This is the starting point of domestic violence and metting out torture on the bride. We have heard and read about a number of cases where brides were burnt or brutally tortured for dowry. Worse even is the fact that dowry demand is considered as a common thing and we take no surprise if a few marriages are broken due to unfulfilled dowry demands. We are quick to blame bride’s family for being poor or for fixing up marriage in a family of a higer status than theirs.

If we look at the statstics of Dowry Deaths cases in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the figures are quite shocking. Delhi is the national capital of India and is considered to be a city inhabited by the most educated class of people. We have all high profile people living in the city. Nation’s media, leaders, MNC’s, etc etc are here but still women continue to die for no mistake of theirs. Undue demands of dowry and rise in number of dowry deaths is one of the main reasons for girls being considered to be a burden in the family specially in middle and lower sections of the society.

As per the records of National Crime Records Beaureu, a total of 113 cases of dowry deaths were registered in the year 2001. This figure kept rising with years passing, 135 cases were registered in the year 2002. Another high figure was reached in the year 2010 with a total of 143 cases registered of Dowry Deaths. This figure came down a little in the year 2012 with 132 cases. There are just the cases which were registered with the police. With the kind of social and mental set-up around in our nation added with the attitude of the Police, it won’t be wrong to say that the actual figure of dowry deaths would be, at least, doube if not more.

It is not so that there is no law for controlling the menace of Dowry Deaths in India. The Government of India, in 1961, had passed the Dowry Prohibition Act. As per this act, demanding dowry is ‘illegal’ in India. Further to this, in the year 1986, Dowry Deaths as included as a domestic violence crime. Section 304-B was introduced in the Indian Penal Code which implies ‘if a lady is killed within seven years of her marriage and it is proved that before her death she was being subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or any relative of her husband, in relation with demand for dowry, such death shall be called Dowry Death and such husband or his relatives shall be held responsible for causing her death’.

In spite of such strict laws and so many efforts to safe guard women, incidents of dowry deaths are coming to our notice everyday. Why is it that money and materialistic things have taken over the society and human being specially women are considered as a mere thing of pleasure. Think over it!

Also have a look at the figures of Dowry Deaths in Delhi!