THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan observed a ten-hour fast to create awareness against dowry. He began his fast at 8 am in the Raj Bhavan.
The first-of-its-kind act by the head of the state was welcomed by Opposition parties while the ruling CPM opted for silence. When the announcement on the fast sparked off speculation on a political fight, the Raj Bhavan issued a statement that the Governor was responding to a call made by Gandhian organisations to create awareness against dowry.
Last month, Khan had visited the parents of Vismaya, the woman who committed suiside allegedly due to dowry harassment.
In a video message on Tuesday, the governor said it was "sad that the spectre of dowry continues to raise its ugly head in our state which has been globally acclaimed for enviable social indicators like literacy and life expectancy". Mahatma Gandhi had said any young man who makes dowry a condition to marriage discredits his education and his country and dishonours womanhood, he noted.
The Sthree Paksha Keralam initiative of the Kerala government also emphasises the need to ensure the dignity of our women by saying no to dowry and related practices, said the Governor. Giving and taking dowry are criminal offences which attract imprisonment upto five years. More than that it is a grave injustice and ignominy to the dignity of women whose contribution to Kerala's growth are widely acknowledged, Khan said.
"Let's make Kerala a true god's own land where girls and boys come forward to boldly say not to a marriage that involves dowry. It would go a long way in creating greater awareness and ensuring gender equality and social justice," he added.