Task force in Telangana to curb dowry menace

Hyderabad: Community organisations have decided to constitute a task force to curb the menace of dowry. In a roundtable meeting convened by Tahreek Muslim Shabban, participants stressed that a drive must be started to reform certain practices.

This meeting was conducted against the backdrop of Ayesha Khan, married for nine months, who made an emotional video before dying by suicide in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati river.

Tehreek Muslim Shabban president Mushtaq Malik said a door-to-door social reform campaign will be organised to make people aware of the evils of the dowry demand. Sermonisers at mosques will request people to denounce extravaganza weddings and dowry demands, and encourage people to pay instant mehr (dower amount given by the groom to the bride).

Malik said it was decided to organise silent protests at weddings that involve extravagant expenditures. He said a state-level anti-dowry conference will be organised to create awareness among the general public against the evils of dowry.

Speaking on other resolutions passed during the meeting, Malik said the organisation will campaign against weddings and events that stretch past midnight. Islamic scholars, intellectuals, social activists and qazis and women rights activists were present at the meeting.