Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan calls for ‘social isolation’ of families involved in taking and giving dowry

Replying to a question on Kerala Assembly on attacks against women and dowry-related deaths, Pinarayi Vijayan said often families of the bride and the groom arrive at an understanding on dowry, and complaints are raised only at a later stage when things go wrong

Making a call to socially isolate families involved in taking and giving dowry for marriage, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Kerala Assembly on Wednesday that people's representatives should take a decision to stay away from such wedding ceremonies. Replying to a question on attacks against women and dowry-related deaths, Mr. Vijayan said that often the families of the bride and the groom arrive at an understanding on dowry, and complaints are raised only at a later stage when things go wrong. "Only by socially isolating such families will the girls get the courage to refuse to be part of such marriages. We should strive for a situation where our boys also would say that they are not ready for a marriage by taking dowry. Awareness has to be created with such an aim," said Mr. Vijayan.