2 pix from daughters of fire presentations at wsf2004

what is dowry

visual presentation

Seminario “La Cara Cambiante de la Dote” 17.01.04 WSF Mumbai, 2004

El seminario 'Vimochana' mostro como las mujeres son matadas/abusadas y victimisadas, en una sociedad consumista, por la dote.

Foro “Vimochana” por el derecho de las mujeres, Bangalore.
La dote es una demanda hecha en efectivo o parecido unido al casamiento, antes, despues o mientras este ocurre.
La dote no es un regalo voluntario y gratuito, ni un simbolo de amor, ni un pago unico.
La dote es siempre penetrante, destructiva, demandante y maldita. La dote significa violencia y mas violencia, fisica y mental resultando en asesinatos por dote.
La dote se intensifica con el liberalismo, con consumismo. Devaluando a la mujer, la dote femenina no conoce casta, religion, clase, color o comunidad.
La violencia domestica es conocida alrededor del mundo, mayoritariamente al hecho de que cuestiones de mujer se han hecho mas visibles en los ultimos 30 anios. Aun las mujeres estan muriendo, siendo asesinadas, cometiendo suicidio y experimentando abusos diarios. PORQUE?
En India esto continua debido a la dote, usado para levantar el estatus del hombre, en todas las clases de la sociedad. Familias con hijas necesitan casarlas cuanto mas jovenes sean pues son una carga financiera al tener que ahorrar para la dote. Tambien las familias buscan aumentar el status propio atraves del casamiento.
Las mujeres son objetos vendidas en casamiento. En Bombay, doctores/hombres educados van a ir a buscar dotes, tanto como si fuera oro/diamantes, ponen avisos en los periodicos y cientos de chicas les van a ser presentadas. Esta es una forma rapida de hacer dinero. Sobre todo esto el tema de la dote se ha intensificado con el consumismo y la avaricia subsecuente, siendo exacerbado y legitimizado por los medios.
Cientos de mujeres se pierden, no son reportadas, nadie sabe nada. La dote es un nudo de ahorcado, no seguro. Una vez casada, las mujeres son vistas como parasitos y sin valor. Muchas viven con los suegros y nunca ven a sus esposos. Las demandas ocurren por dinero y si no es dado por la familia de la mujer, puede resultar en muertes. Hoy se dieron testimonios de mujeres que recibieron amenazas de muerte de sus maridos, cuentos de accidentes, por ejemplo ser golpeadas por un auto en la calle es comun y experimentar torturas tal como quemarse.
Este foro miro la muerte de mujeres en Bangalore, usualmente reportados como accidentes de cocina, suicidios por alguna queja fisica. Ellas van y hablan a la gente, dando informacion.
Ellas creen que diferentes tecnicas son desarrolladas para asesinar a estas mujeres, tal como evenenamiento.
El casamiento es ahora una institucion violenta y una interaccion economica entre dos familias no basada en el amor y respeto.
Este seminario llama a movilizarse para desarrollar una campania de derechos de las mujeres a vivir.

High Scale misuse of Dowry laws (498A)in India

Dear Sir/madam,

In urban India, majority families acquired best knowledge of IPC Section 498A, commonly called dowry-law in India, which is introduced to alleviate DOWRY from society.

Section 498 (A) of the Indian Penal Code makes it mandatory for police to book husband and his parents and other relatives/friends whoever being named on the complaint by wife or her close relatives and jail them.

This section is non-bailable, non-compoundable (complaint can't be quashed) and cognizable (arrest without investigation at first). There are several cases, without any investigation, police arrests the elderly parents, unmarried sisters, pregnant sisters. Few parents and sisters have committed suicide after spending some 5 to 15 days in jail. Whereas, Filing a dowry case is as easy as ordering a pizza. . There is no penalty (even a fine) for filing a false case.

By using following analysis/research, one would say, this section needs amendments or appropriation (bailable-corruption mitigates among officials and husband doesn’t loose job) before it inflicts irreparable damage to institution of marriage in India.

Currently, there is no law/ways for husband and his relatives escape harassment from his wife, if she looses tolerance and respect for other's emotions exorbitantly. Also, in-laws are deeply resented, if a bride's morale is affected or is molded by her parents by learning her knowledge of this section for their mundane selfish reasons or in meeting their demands.

I believe, Most of urban Indian marriages, having above tendencies are getting very difficult to continue more than few years.

Today, Some of the estimated 15,000 abandoned wives in Punjab, 12,000 cases in Gujarat featured in Indian media. NRI husbands seemingly developed less tolerance to marital problems too. Perhaps, may be adjustment to an environment of the foreign land and thoughts of sharing equal responsibilities. It is estimated several false dowry cases in India every year.

Also, most part of the world, domestic issues are resolved by civil laws, India is having this criminal law into it. There is no way, wife would acquire part of her husband's property or a lump sump payment from him, when marriage is irretrievably broken. I believe, this is another reason for high scale misuse of this section to pull money out of in-laws.

Poor or rural women or their husbands hardly know about this law (70% Indian population) and they can't exercise this section. Surprisingly, as per census statistics taken from indiastat.com, Indian married men/divorced men suicide rate is far higher (upto 3.2times) than married/divorced women, whereas it stands same for both, before marriage.


USA state Dept. already warning citizens at "DOWRY/VISA DEMANDS" section about travelling to India for marriages, in other words, to avoid 498A. Please read about this 498A misuse on google with a search on "India 498A". Also,  http://indiatogether.org/2004/mar/law-sect498a.htm

In one judgement, at ‘high court of karnataka’ ruling, Crl.A. no. 589 of 2003, decided on 4-9-2003 (case of M.F.Saldhana & M.S. rajendra Prasad JJ), Judge highlighted, in about 45% cases prosecution is thoroughly unjustified. There are other rulings from different parts of the country where Judges opined Law commission of India about decision to keep this Section in it's same form (eg: MANU/AP/0979/2002, Ms. Saritha vs. Ramachandra).

Only way possible in escaping this misuse by an Indian family is to prove innocence in the court as a defendant, for which court case easily goes more than 3yrs., as per current rate. But, citing a rule that the service of an employee who remained in police custody for more than 24 hours would be terminated.

Pls. email me, If I can be of any help producing evidences ranging from India -court judgements, suicide statistics, divorce rates, false dowry cases or any links etc.,

All my intention with this letter is to bring it to your notice, for purpose of securing institution of marriages and appropriate society in India, rather ending up all divorces in urban India.

Thanks in advance.
Santha n.

Some eg:
 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/8498047.cms
 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/778527.cms
 http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=2d3a3e8726139933addb1da248ca7e81

Disclaimer: We are against dowry, but due to corruption involved in the system and epidemic of misuse of dowry laws and current men suicide statistics, this acknowledgment of IPC 498A, brought to the readers for dissemination purposes, so that everyone cautious before/after marriage for happy living and undisturbed society. This page is entirely my perception of scheme of things, and there is no attempt to cloud anyone's judgement or manipulate perceptions in anyway, and statistics taken from indiastat.com, frontline.

My Age old mother was in jail, without any mistake/guilty. she cann`t walk without others help, can you think she will beat someone.
My 7 month full pregnent sister was jailed,even she was not staying with us, and hardly visit us once in 3/4 months. but policed showed no mercy they draged her to police station.
My Sister in Law who was staying with us, having 3 months old breast feeding daughter and Law has shown no sympathy Even on that innocent child just because her mother was named in my wifes False IPC - 498a.

There was no Enquiry or investigation, police took everyone, and dumped in jail for no reason.
just because we found out my wifes Extra marital affair.

My case is going on for last 6 years, but my wife never turnedup once to the court, If she was right why she is not coming to the court. and judge is not ready to drop the case when this is non compoundable.

Do you think this 498a (IPC) is protecting women.
To protect one women, this law harass and victimise many other women.Even that women is wrong. still Law support her.

Sooner or later this Law will break indian Family system, make more single parents and Bastard childrens.by harassing age old parents and other innocent women

Dowry is un-sensible and un justified. And hence more and more educated and principled families of the bridegroom in India are encouraging Dowryless Marriage in Urban India, they marry a girl from a poor family (who has a high dowry custom in her community) by marrying down with daughters from such communities they proudly relieve the bride's family from the burden of dowry.

there are laws too like Section 498A that strongly protect the daughter-in-law but are poorly drafted. by virtue of such poorly drafted laws, cunning daughters-in-law are misusing Section 498A at large in urban areas. The section is also misused at large as a blackmailing tool by the wives to get their demand fulfilled else 498A is threatened on the innocent in-laws.

There are innocent indian families of the indianhusbands who suffer hell because of the non-bailable and non-compundable nature of the cognizable law.

for more details visit.  http://indianhusbands.blogspot.com/2005/08/498a-made-for-sita-but-surpanakhas-are.html

Jinesh Zaveri

Dear Sir,
Dowry Act is being misused by the parents of the girl like anthing.This is not for improvement in the society for women but rather to spoil the marriage. Once the families approach in the court, they go on getting seperated with each other instead of getting closer. This is not to unite the families rather to disunite and to get the families ruined. An small quarrel between the wife and husband takes them to the court under this section of Dowry act and makes the life miserable for both, particulary the life of the aged parents of the husband by bringing the into this net of 498A. Theree is a case where the girls parents grabbed the property of the husband by foul and unfair means and then after the interval of a day filed the false dowry report. Moreover soe states in India like U.P., there is no counciling sytem even now befoer the case is filed to the court. Also, there is no provision for an anticipatory bail for the accused. As soon as the report is filed with the poice, the police rushes without any delay to arrest the all who have been named in the dowry report includig the aged parents amd even the unmarried girls without making any investigation in the matter and all are put into the jail. After this kind of action, the chances of bringing them together, if any goes far away for ever. This kind of dowry act be abolished otherwise more and more families will be ruined in near future. Our makers of law should think about this.

As they rightly say 'In Aurto Me Buddhi Hi Kahan Hoti Hai?'

Everybody is knowing that this 498a is finally leading to a worst life for them itself. But then also they support 498a. Even wish to make it further sitingent.

As they wrongly say 'Andha Kanoon'. Kanoon is never Andha' but the makers are definately. Without thinking the outcome of its implementation, how come someone can just pass it?

No..No..No..

'Is India ka to Bhagwaan Bhi Malik Nahi Hai.'