PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced on Wednesday he would not attend any marriage unless there was clear declaration by the family concerned that the marriage was being solemnized without dowry. Launching his Samajik Sudhar Abhiyan (social reform drive) at Motihari in East Champaran district, Nitish said, “I will not attend any wedding ceremony, including those of close ones, if the wedding cards don’t bear the declaration that dowry has not been paid for marriage.”
The CM said he intended to ameliorate social evils like dowry, prohibition and child marriage that have been plaguing the society for long.“The objective behind development is worthless without social reforms. That’s why I have been working relentlessly on it since given the responsibility.”
Nitish exhorted women, who had gathered in large numbers, to come forward to accelerate the social reform campaign aimed at removing social evils in the larger interest of the masses. “We enforced prohibition on the request of women in April 2016. Majority of the people were happy with the government’s decision. But some people are opposing it. Let them do their job. Don’t pay attention to them,” he said.
Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said instead of social reform, Nitish should launch a campaign to reform the system.