Just another dowry death

“A father’s tireless fight for justice neared fruition on Saturday with authorities agreeing to seek a CBI probe into his daughter’s suspicious death two years ago… Mr Kuruvilla, who firmly believed that his daughter was killed, continued his fight for justice. He also started a blog to present his case. The decision to hand over the case to the CBI brought him some relief” ran the news.

Relieved about what, Mr.Kuruivilla? Will this bring your daughter back?

I may sound heartless when I say this but this is probably a well-deserved punishment for not empowering the girl child enough to enable her to earn her livelihood and choose a partner.

When will the parents realize that marriage is not the be all and end all of a girl’s existence...or for that matter any person’s existence.

Why should the girl be considered such a burden that one needs to get rid of her at any cost? In this case, five lakh rupees were paid as dowry apart from 50 sovereigns of gold.

When I hear fathers paying fat dowry to buy the boys, I feel that if the same amount was given to the girl to set up her own business, and if she was clever enough, she would in no time be able to use that money to run a flourishing business of her own…or go abroad…or study…find her feet…find herself…or whatever it takes to feel confident of herself… and once this is done, will there be a dearth of men who wan to marry her?

These dowry deaths will continue in India as long as the parents consider their daughters a burden…the girl is ‘paraya dhan’. I have absolutely no sympathy for such fathers who consider their daughters as someone to be taken care of till the great son in law arrives at the scene to take her off his hands. He is so relieved to get rid of the daughter that not only does he host the wedding, submit to every demand made by the groom and his parents but also remain subservient, and heed to their every demand.

If he has to fight for justice, let him now fight on behalf of all those underpowered, voiceless, unfortunate girls who are ready to be sacrificed on the anvil of marriage! Only then will I be able to call it a fight for justice.