An Affluent Society Tends To Grow Into A Violent One.

“An affluent society tends to grow into a violent one ’’

The statement itself reflects on the cruel realities that a society can become as violent as a terrorist.The truth of the statement is brought out by the conditions that prevail in India today.As we on a whole are growing but some issues, crimes and violence are still prevailing and has been a part since ages.The escalation in crime and violence is seen in the worst form in the case of crimes against women.The international women's year was intended to highlight the plight of women in this male dominated society, but it has no way succeed in improving their lot.

One of such crimes against women that is still a part of India is “DOWRY SYSTEM’’This system has prevailed since a long time and has resulted in a torture for young girls who are married at the age of 16 or 19 , and for the women's. What does dowry means? In a simple language dowry means any property or valuable security given or agreed to be given either directly or indirectly. Exorbitant amounts in the form of cash and various items are demanded.

Causes of dowry system is not only greed for money but the perspective and thinking of a common man that a girl is a liability on their head and to get rid of this burden they give or make deal of their daughters by compensating it with money or luxurious items. Even if your family is poverty stricken still we consider that a girl is a liability and only can get rid by giving her away to an unknown stranger. Even if the demands are met still who knows whether a girl is safe in her in-laws house and often they flee in fear of their lives to the house of their parents and yet they are not left alone and yet they are given threats.

We live in a country where society is considered no less than a God. This society results in taking lives of innocent women on a daily basis as we are not ready to accept a girl without heavy amounts of money , SUVs, gold and lots of Fortune. Continuous physical and mental torture instigates women to go into depression and commit suicide.

According to a recent survey in 2016 it indicates that in India 20 women die every day due to dowry related issues. Thus greed and violence wreck the home and cause untold suffering to the young women and their parents. Government has laid the act to prohibit the giving or taking of dowry named as ;

THE DOWRY PROHIBITION ACT, 1961, (Act No. 28 of 1961)

It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint. So the prohibition act states the following penalties for taking or giving dowry; (1) If any person, after the commencement of this Act, gives or takes an amount of dowry he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years, and with the fine not be less than fifteen thousand rupees or the amount of the value of such dowry, whichever is more.

There is a hand full of list that tells the presents in the form of dowry are taken in accordance with the rule made under the act such as ; presents which are given at the time of marriage to the bridegroom (without any demand having been made in that behalf):

Provided that such presents are entered in a list maintained in accordance with rules made under this Act; Provided further that where such presents are made by or on behalf of the bride or any person related to the bride, such presents are of a customary nature and the value thereof is not excessive having regard to the financial status of the person by whom, or on whose behalf, such presents are given.

A very famous quote by Arundhati Roy ;

As Indian citizens, we subsist on a regular diet of caste massacres and nuclear tests, mosque breakings and fashion shows, church burnings and expanding cell phone networks, bonded labor and the digital revolution, female infanticide and the NASDAQ crash, husbands who continue to burn their wives for dowry and our delectable stockpile of Miss Worlds. What's hard to reconcile oneself to, both personally and politically, is the schizophrenic nature of it.

The measures and protection the government can give us the sense of security and responsibility but without the efforts and changing of mind sets of the common man, it won't be possible.

Where people urge dowry they not only urge for cash but they seek the dignity of a daughter's father , the self esteem of a daughter and moreover the lives of girls.