Kerala Guv keeps his word, to join fast against dowry

Thiruvananthapuram, July 13 Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan will join a protest against dowry abuse on Wednesday here.

Deeply saddened after several women in the state committed suicide due to dowry abuse, the Kerala Governor had last month promised to work as a volunteer against the evil of dowry abuse. He had also promised to join a group of people who will sit on a fast to highlight the issue.

Gandhian organisations are organising the fast from morning to evening at the Gandhi Bhawan to create awareness against the giving and taking of dowry.

Khan had visited the family of a young final year Ayurveda medical student, who took her life after her husband allegedly demanded an expensive car last month. After paying tributes, Khan had told the media that NGOs and volunteers should step up the awareness drive in a campaign against dowry and promised that he is ready to work as a volunteer.

Khan then said 'dowry is an evil and as far as laws are concerned, they are very strong and the need is to create a general and social awareness against it'.

The Governor, who has become hugely popular with the people, said in Kerala there is no dearth of NGO's or volunteers.

"I am ready to work as a volunteer and we should create awareness against this. It should be made very clear to anyone who asks for dowry, that they are not interested in proceeding with the marriage proposal," added Khan.

In the previous month, many dowry harassment cases surfaced, forcing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to take new steps, and a a female IPS officer was made in-charge to deal with all such cases