Question

Which of the following statement(s) accurately explain the reason as to why dowry is considered a social evil?

• A. It turns the sacrosanct institution of marriage into a monetary transaction.
• B. It degrades the status of women as invisible beings, thus, striping their autonomy and agency.
• C. It leads to violence and discrimination against the bride in a marriage.
• D. It forces the men to jump into the pyre of their deceased wife and glorify their lives by doing so.

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (C)

It leads to violence and discrimination against the bride in a marriage.

Similar to the other societal ills such as child marriage, the dowry system is another social evil that continues to persist in India. Though marriage is treated as a holy sacrament, asking for and accepting dowry turns it into a business transaction. It has resulted in increase in crimes against women within and outside a marriage. It places an unfair economic burden towards the bride's family. The practice of dowry, thus, hinders our progress towards gender equality.