Page 160 - LECTURETTE TOPICS eBOOK

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• An average of 21 dowry deaths take place in India every day and around 8000
deaths every year under section 304B Indian Penal Code (Dowry death).
Around 24771 deaths were reported in the last three years.

• We come across cases where women are given body injuries or are burnt
alive because of not fulfilling the dowry demands. The biggest reason for
domestic violence being practiced in India is also the dowry system. In fact,
with the increase in the number of such cases, the term ‘dowry abuse’ has
been coined for dowry related domestic violence.

• Since dowry is a financial burden on the girl’s family, people abandon their girl
child because of this evil! The birth of a girl child is still considered a burden
in our country and dowry system is to be thanked!
• Moreover, some fathers are forced to take loans at high rates of Interest to
arrange for dowry. Some banks have even started ‘dowry loans’ and it’s not
something to be proud of! There are schemes where the father can take a
loan of Rs 1 crore if he wants an IIT+IIM son-in-law! Shameful, isn’t it?
• In rural areas poor people are often seen to be caught in debt trap and even
getting homeless because they give their all for that dowry!

Dowry Prohibition Act , 1961

• This Act was introduced in 1961 to prohibit people from demanding and
offering dowry. According to the Act anybody giving or taking dowry shall be
imprisoned for not less than 5 years and will be charged a penalty of Rs 15000
or the amount of dowry, whichever is higher.
• A person who even demands dowry directly or indirectly shall attract an
imprisonment of 6 months or more and a penalty of Rs 10000.
• The Act extends to the whole of India and to persons of all religions, except
for Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Union Ministry of Women and Child development has been suggesting
regular amendments in the act in order to strengthen the law.

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