The History of Doing An Illustrated Account of Movements for Women’s Rights and Feminism in India, 1800-1990 Radha. Kumarof the sated i and eta ough it soked Norm Yvon both ‘lence ah ted, at, tel See, ind tal ib, in 2 . The Campaign Against Dowry Atesiath of dowry demonstration, Delhi, 1988 have been working fr 10 months on eileen’ Chases, dul eracy programmes and health ‘amp ia ado to tung up Teel sues, in (Chetnbur sams i Bombay, In the coure of working in the sum Pacha Seela ‘Nagar, we were intrdieed to Malarko a young roman who ved in dhe slam and was potential Teader among the women Some te ago, Malarkodi had rum off to Madras trith former boyfriend. Her husband went and Drought her back, promising to behave well Bt afer thathecontinvedtoremind herofher elope: tment He uve to drink and beat her up. All the poghbours knew thar nce 1e was an every Foutine, Bot this Sunday the routine tok 2 fata fur, She ded When Tasked sme of the men why they had not intervened, their reply was chat it was family fquarrel” A sep ahead ws the reply. ‘She was Tiled by ter husband. So why should we inte: fere 1 fund shat almost all men, whatever ther casJobor status thought thesame manner. When tee went tothe police inspector of Tilak Naga UTemand MalarEods body, hesid:"Why are you taking up this sue? She waran immoral woman Otherwise, no sane busband would do this Tater, when twas narating the facident to ome- body who studies in myclas, they too offered the Sime consolation: "Oh, was her husband who Killed her Then what can you de about if" “This kind of family quae is common tall clases, religions, and communtes allover India. deed, the ‘erm donryhasbecamea euphemism fr wiebatering {practices fant that sch Wolence has become & 4 issue in practcally all movements in which women Irae been actie “Thus communist an lef parties hae been embar assed into. admitng i exists even among thei members (se Renu Chakravarty). Iebecame central iue of the Shahada movernent and f feminist move- tens all over the country. And Yet, until recent Niclence within the family remained hidden and even hom, women hesitate to speak of it For a varity of “The fist time he maid FU beat you, I dhought he wea joking, None had ui theve word to me all Iny lf. When he beat me the fs me wich his hands Iwas shocked. The Second time—wih & sronlen banger, [sid No thi cant be woe. It Cannot happen to MEI" The died ime twas the belt the buckle hurt the nose, and the bridge broke vas numb not much with dhe pan, bot despair. Noone had watned me marrage included this He ad: You are asiek curse, youarean ii ou ae good for nothing ould have gota better feland stot ot deny 0 pointed out: ‘Te was you who approached my other. You were mos Leen, You tld my mother you didn’ want dy. got beaten He said will never pay for your expenses, Your clothes. your medicines. “Ten he id You thik to mich of ous. Ii: "Bat so do you.” He sid "You grew up the easy way. Lam a elf sade man, "Acouple of nes, after ferceByhts, anda lotof Antidowty demonseation, Delhi, 1980tering eft the house and wok shelter wih & tative, But each time, he faces of my children ould haunt me aid Hold eran the next day Pte dyer, Sometimes efewith he chien, Bat tow longa one sty with relative with tree ‘all cldeen? So I reened.Lrany relative ried to intervene, he would break off relations with them: With the reslt hat the numberof ends ‘Mh doppedin became les Twasafaid of making Tov ens (wha wl shey think when they find ‘or my husband Beate met) So T sare ving in olan, a socal outeaste with a stigma attached omyname! Although there are countess nedents of such vor ence it seldom that we see women ging up their tpprsive situations and moving out. Paty this is be- cee im many fames(pariulriy middle class) 2 Soman's ie is defined only in dhe context of «man's ‘The following satement provides an example: Twas twche of thitcen when Twas married... don't remem er exactly when, He beat me from the very begining Hie ued to drink, come home, and beat me, He used foun me too-and hick me mercies. 1 suffered very Fadl He beat me up brutally i's ue; but at east he was there. i “Over the years, feminists have heard these saddest of ‘words wed te and sain ane have grown to det Mand thee fulsigaticnee; indeed is ony by coming row this again and again that momen have grown © ‘engalne their own elplessnessin view of the dauoting ‘non they face i shi eounty 1s imposible to five in ia without being avare ofthe gruelling hardship ‘people have wo face to survive, the paucity of fod and ‘lodhing, or education, thats part of everyday ile. The ‘Staton is made more dificult because ofthe years of Conditioning whieh do not allow a woman to see her Iran as anything oer than ago, Thus women ll protect men even atthe cost oftheir own lives. The Ferebe mental erly dat some familesafietupon {ete daughter sragically revealed in series of Iecers published in Momus, weiten by ayoung gf who Tied henelf wo monte afer she was married, The following extract i from Ber farewell Teter to Der rasan: My Raj (Lod) Lam going ava. Forge me [ver since came f0 your house yur fay as bad ficulties, My comiag into Your house was ‘hot auspicious fr you. 8 Tam going vay. Li Dake ery effort to sce that T do not survive, ‘Deease iT do, not on wily life be ruined, but onl yours Bo not tke me to hospital 1 am taking your child along widh me in my womb, Forgive me fortis too You had desir © {ory again, Do marry agin. You can ether burn the clothes brought in my dow, or rear them tomy parents, The codes which were given tome ‘your family canbe ironed and keptfor the new brie. “When thenewbride comes rand iste to what she sayy and do not quatel with her. Even if her felaties do not pay much atetion to yu, YOU ‘Should eto say happy You should ignore these things, Otherwise, he ie willbe ruined. And if the tals toyou privately about anything never tell Sryone ee nthe howe what shes ‘Oni yours Tate’ “Tato committed suicide because her husband and his ‘amily tortared her fr having brought so ile with her ty way of goods tacking her and her family for the ‘aly of food atthe medding and presents (0 the ‘Bidegrooms family. We do not now whether her ex tnosand cook formal dowry when he reared, which be did afew months aftr her sue, bu here #10 ‘Soube cha in contemporary India fares who might tnt formally ak for oF even take dowry, make knows their expeeation that the bride's family wl help oi tainastandardotifewhih the bridegroom sEamilyfnd mandatory “The ft proests aginst dowry in the contemporary feminist movement were made by the Progresive Or frunitaon of Women in Hyderabad in 1975. Though Bee of their demonstations numbered as many a 2000 people the protests id 5x grow into afuledged campaign "Rhett Tul of around two yeas, 2 new movement gaint dowry arte in Delhi This ine it against olence infected upon women for dowres expecially aust murder and abetment to suicide. Though there Fine since been protests aguns dom harassment and Tnurd in several part of Indi (Pun, Maharastra, Kamataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal), shined fpiation ngtnat dowry and dow-elated crimes has ‘sinty been in Delhi Among the reasons for this 1 that Beth ees to ave the nghest names of dowry motivated murders of women. In 1979, « Dlhibased feminist group, Stee Sangharsh, made the following analysis of dowry: ‘As Engels pointed out in hisclassc work property ‘hanons hin the fy were mediated through {he development of pete propery and quesAntidowry demonstration, Delhi, 1980 tions of inheritance beeame paramount. Engels tied this to diferente been middle cas and trorking-las fas saying that as workings Families dk not own pate property inhertce ‘yas noc important and thus dhe matral basis for tromen’s oppression did sot exstin workings Emilie In doing thse not only wrongly ident fied women's opprenion by mising the sexual tsi of labour the need fr reproductive com trol the patriarchy, and the existence of female labour pomer as property under capitalism, But leo contised the queson ol prvate property with that of inheritance. While Ue queston of inher tance emsinean nightinto women’ toppresion, itisnot the sale eatonship of prate propery this oppresin. The example of dowry in Ines ‘acearone of relationship with private propery which this becomes a bridegroom price and is {hlded tothe immediate, consumable fray Capital wed either to further busines ventures, ‘educate younger sous to buy 2 promotion, oft furnish a drghtersdowey. Tn many eases it does ‘ot remain within the immediate fay, but be comes someone else's private property” Further, they suggested that in dhe present sain ‘he bridegroom iusband became a conduit for the transfer of gud capita, noting ain tiscase these {tthe bridegroom did satconer ight omershipon ‘he buyeron dhe contrary, the teasaction nas loser to the payment of blood money. nan exhibon on dowry ‘urder they showed thatsueh murders wee commited ty middle class enrepreneorial amie who Med 30 “Though the Mla Dalshata Sami wat the fist vvomen's organization in Delli'scontemporry frit Thovement to ake up the ste a deny and wy arasnen,itvas Sr Sangharh whos eampiga ade dy murder a bowsebold wer, The Mab Dashata Sami had organized a demonstration in Dethiand ako Published »bookct onthe we, On Jue 1, 1999 St Etngharh onpaized a demonstration aia the death of Tarinder Kaur, young womsn who lived in Deh A member of the audience eling Ter soy, Delhi, 180 weer 3 So deParents of dowry itn join women’s organizations in demonstrating Pafann the nereaung noir of dowry deaths the capital, 88. scyng hater death was murder and that he was ile ean her parents could not fl the everncreasing tlemande uf er laws Impetfor this demonsiraion ‘mein far, om the Indraprasina College Women’s Comin, formed ia 1978, who ol Str Sangharsh of the murder and sugesied that they demonstrate. The Tndrapraina College Commitee, and the Pr Student’ Organisation allzarched under th Siang rsh tanner, adding both umbersand miitany- The ‘emonsraion was widely reported by the national press ou n dhe nen few weeks there was a spate of demon ‘Matons agaist doy deaths, one ofthe Biggest ones eng orgie bythe Nal Raksha Samii on June 1, edge ayy ut ot Bethe Each ome hi the head lines ‘Hal his cme women’s deathsyfire ad been put dwn as ie, an even these suicides were rarely seen Srbeing duc to dowyhrament. Noone (inching the polce) had ever bothered to invessgate them, oF tei categorie then. An mostly they had been passed rac pat’ affairs which took place within the amily hd wtih were no concern ofthe sate. Within weeks omever, fein eversed the nailerence of decades, linking deathbyire with dowry harassment, sowing that mary lfc aicder were in fact meds In De catca icin of dowry minder hadoften ied long ‘ugh to lade thelr urban and in-laws of murder inte dying declarations), bat dhe obligatory police followup had beens delayed and so cursory ast yield Tide oro evidence sac cases were then writen off 35 fhiede and the whole matter frgotien ‘However, when fesse eaised ther voices agaist thissuson nating that djing dedarationsbe treated ondence, thacpotee procedures be ightened up and ‘hese murderers be confronted by society, some people {Gd Late, an some joined in the pote aswel The fine Sti Sangharsh demonstrason had bled by the time t reached Tarvinder Kar sina shows: notonty {dd neghours join in with tele children, but 0 di Scepers domestic workers, and pase by. “Oe ihe Bh of une resident Maia Nagas dem onstrated against the murder of Kanchan Chopra ner young woman, che resins alght Kanchan had (Gnted her parents om dhe 29% morning and had sald Then thot she was afraid beease her inlaws were Je traning move dowry nd threatening lhe twatnot forthcoming, Her brother went that aftermacn 1a the Malva Nagar Police Staton #9 lodge a complaint gaint her nds for dowry harassment, bute police Fefused to intervene in what they sil wat 4 "aly (guare’ addid pot regter the complaint Thatright She died. And the next day the residents of Nala Nagar, along with Kanchan's distraught aly, su rounded the paice ston, demanding that they fle 3 ‘Charge of murder apaiat her lalaws, When reports af this tacident appeared, feminins were encouraged to Findhat people had been disturbed enough bythsistue to take action. This eat momentum to the campaign ful very soon afer another group. the Nasi Raks ‘Sami, demonstrated cutie the house ofa young man fall Narang, whos family had stepped up thelr de- ands for doyry on the eve of is arrage to Prema Two days befoe the scheduled wedding, Premlata’s family broke of her engagement because of increased ony demands They contaczed the Nar Raksha Sit fun deked them to sage a demonstration outside the Narang's hows, as public denunclaton® This too wat remarkable, oF normally the scandal accruing from ‘uch publictyadheresongerto he gist than ttheran, ‘nove snsare in any ae blamed on is family and soon fongotten. Tht Premlata and her faily were wing 0 ‘ave his publcgyin order to humiliate tue Narang for their varie roused admiradon among wotnen’s groups, ‘Afr some months of eampsigning however, several groupe began to fee the see for amore ret method ‘St communication with people when rising the use of ‘Som. Discussions on thisgave rise to de ea of having |stret play and vomne mont later Sti Sangharsh gave the fist performance of its street ply, Om Sake an ack on dowry and dowry murder based on the lives ‘two women, The play proved enormoualy popular and a00n peo- ple rom all over began to atk the group tov their Tocaliy and perform the play there For many dle classwomen fio were inthe play. hewara state pt saci work, ‘One year alter the agitation began, goverment started oleate agai dowry murders Tn factin 1978 Charan Singh then prime minister, had sid that eas. tres to stop the "aatreatment of wornen for dowry Would be introduced i dhe next patiamentary eson He made this astrance o a delegation ofthe Mall, Dakshata Samiti The Sami alo met the Inspector Protesting the commerilzaon of marsage, Delhi, 1980 ° General ing coms lee andpt a a8 "Taking a break rg the Dah Virodhi Chetna Manch demonsraion,Dethi, 1982 General of Police (Delhi), who greed to set upa stand ing committe consiting ofthe Superintendent of Po- Tee and a Depay Superintendent wha would del with ‘ases of dowry harssment. However it ook many years Amother show pletre of her dead ‘daughter date not knows for the antidowrycelsto begin functioning, and at present they dal mainly with complaints of dovery de- and /harstementand newt dowry murders. In prac Gee, the antrdomry cells more often perform the function ofmarrage counselling bureaus. Gea the way most women are tested in India when they lack he ‘protection ofaman’(bethey single nocd, deserted, ewidowed), itis hardly surprising thatso many women. Choose toullerathe bands of thei famiesraber an sf allscien, The Maila Dakshata Sai, for example, found that the frst question confronting them when they spake towomen who were being harassed for more downy was ie encourage hertoleaveher fy where sail she ner Hor a ane were to return to her parents Nouse she mould ‘endanger the chance of er finexit ble) younger ster’ nitable mariage (presumably be- aus eer eligible boys parents would then fear that the girls would not ffl thee dowry demands) and no landlord wilingly sents fs single woman, for Feat of her being a prossiate—or ought to be one, Soasmost {Cases of dowry harassment seemed to occur in joint households the Mabila Dalshata Samu) and other sromen’s organizations found themsches sagesing Thatthe'youngcouple’ move outa ive themsehes. Many feminist ave chad at having thus 10 ai in the mutlearsation ofthe family insead of Sting comm plains of assault gains the people who burned brides For dowry, but they ave had few alternatives. Ionialy ‘ough, iis easier to prove dowry asalt chan dowry order for in deth-byfirechere i almost always no Ghidence to show that fi murder and not suicide oF Stcldent ‘er sui pllav caught ry "there was asone fecident in The two main Kinds of evidence in sach fesesarea) dying declarations made bythe victims when they surdte long eough tbe rushed to hospital D) ‘Greuntantal evidence: Teters neighbours tesimo- nies and soon, Dying declarations have frequently been Complete, ignored by the police, ain he Tarvinder eo ‘Burned her’ logan painted on wall ofalleged ‘dowry miulderers house date not KowaAnother scene frm “Om Saha Kaur case, where she dedared her motherindaw and Sitersnlaw had together set fret her but the police Alnmssed this declaration and Tegistered case of Su {ide When the police have regered 2 cae of murder ‘gaint sur ia and basbands onthe grounds of 2 djing decaraton, the case has most often been die need for insfiient evidence. That the vt tei- mony cannot be regarded as sufcient eidence 10 Conve the accused of murder sony whatisabock- ing is hatin mos cases dying declarations are not teeated a sulcent reason for thorough investigation by the police Ie mow teqenty hed reason fortis ‘alle titode of te pie i that they were bribed by the murderers to delay invesigation oF ele 10 ignore ‘idence. In not cases the vesm's parents wouldarrive tho ie wo oller eoumterbrbes for dhe scene for si Ce/acedent would have already been se. But one is ‘tho constrained to ake would the police ecopnize v= ‘ence wen they se iin eases of deal ire? How many methods of cllectng rewmsantal evidence do they use? What practice do the police hae in bing detailed cecumstanal cases aginst dowry murderers snd what resources do they Rave 1 do so? Why haven't they gor more invesigaors, more doctors, more ti thine. to build up an adequate case? Why haven'cthey ‘shed for them? ‘Members the police frce also senso believe that this tsa mater thats ose thee pursew. The police men creorting 2 demonstration again adowrpmurder Siked “What this demonstration about” When told it wre o deinand police ation against a man thought Tine murdered his wife for doy, one policeman sid that had he been in ar pice he would have Dura the ewes shop and his Rowe, He recouated a similar turd ie hs ica where the community had barat flown the suspected murderer's howe, Feminist have ‘pen variously advised by policemen and poitcians te "social pressure” against dowry murderers rather than to take recourse fa the Lav. They have, howere, lone both Antidowry demonstatonshavealwayabeen tutide the homes or workplaces of dowrydemanders Craceused downy musdeters aswell tat police stations the names of bodh the vitins andthe secused have hvajeappeared in slogans neighbourhood groupsbave ten formed to boycott dowry harsers; accused hus bras of downy vets have ha ther faces lacked {this has happened only once or vie); publi meetings have been arranged at wbich people ave pledged ne ther to give nor to take dowsy, and soon. In une 1982 two things happened which showed new development inthe moveaient against downy murders: fist, on the Sr of Jane, the reident of 2 South Delhi lcaiy ot together to protest gains! the deathyire of Bharat Natu, who lived with her ina fo the same area Under the auspices of the local Wellre Asication, Kariba (a feminist group based in Galmhar Par}, tri the Women’s Clb solunters ment fom house Rouse mobiiing fora pie meeting on June th t whic ews decided to a) extracie Bharat Nara Thusand ave) end amemorandum tothe Prine Minster desnanding scion adhe asec) provide lis of people willing to belp ln cues of dowry harasmet oF urn dt have rdy meetings Jone Gulmobat Park w public the antiiowy moverenty prforing ply ad inviting lnwjers and policemen to deus th problem, {Under thishind of prossure the Nanbasere arrested and charged with murder, bat were released on bl October Subrequerly, he chie wines agus het. withdrew her statement Tough the gesident of oer areas had some yea eatin expressed their disapproval of dowry marder ‘Tinore vehement fasion by demonstrating agaist the decison to ontraciee ti fal showeda determin tonto express disapproval inamore personal and m9 bustaned way, The Kea ofa Est of people to contact heed and o hive meets about dowry problet! show ‘s Tenge salle, larly The abe ee | Cote | no ir | death West and Subke July 1 toca houseWhy haven haven'they >betieve that The police cweymurder When tla 2 bought Seman sid ve burnt the ted a sar (pad bunt dota to cer rather ve, however, ‘lays ben emanders seated have sroupshave ‘exsed hie " ackened liemeetings dled ne a June 1982 velopment dist on the locity got of Bharat sociation, ohar Park), fume Bi, at aii Nar's Codhetrime vide lt of *Galmohar performing lit the Ton bal in alos thes some years rer in against fetermins Tad more problems a ted an incination for selfeducaton and slthelp hich ha so far been absent in loeal areas. Secondly, on the Th of Jane women teachers of, '5P. Muckerjee College (for women) in Deli demon Znrted against the death-byfire of one oftheir cok Ieagues: Shakuntala Arora, on June 8. Shakuntala | ied erse ecause her husband beat her up reg Tany for not supplementing her dowry suliienty The teachers demonstrated outside patice commis. sioner ajarang La’ office, demanding that sete of betment to suicide be registered agaitet Shakur College. Thongh Bajarang Lal promised sift aeton, fo investigation was conducted into. Shakuntla's Geath In miduly the District commissioner of Poi, ‘West Delhi, met the teachers af Mackerjee College tnd wold them no ease could be registered against Subhash Arora wnlew he had been seen handing Shauntalaa Ua of kerosene and a matchbox. So on Jlp 17 the teachers decided to “join hands to seck foci boycott of Me Subhash Arora and to curb the tice of davry before assumes uncontrollable propor: tions” Their fit step was to demonstrate outide his house in Muiaa Nagar. They were joined by many residents of Mltan Nagar, several of whoo had seen ‘Arora besing his wife, After his on Jly 24 they went to Hanaraj College to ask teachers thereto pres ora lnvestgavon of the case and suggested that a joint ction commitee be formed of Hana Clee teal rt, But Hansra College teachers were reluctant o take ‘ny action, and eventally nothing happened" Tihs a protest began i the vim’ workplace and ‘moved the neighbourhood she ved in This may not Ihave been the first workplace protestatthe wrongs done torr woman caleague domestically (Dit a the pr tic family sphere, but cently emus how anosher new direction in the movement against ‘dowry deaths, Moreover, ike the Calmohar Pash gia tion itshoweid more sustained effort allempistocntend the potest, both int the area where she ted and into her husband's workplace, Final twas also intresting protest agalnstabeumenttosiede, not order. As this incident shows, the evidence required to prove shetment wrt impossible to colect. This i why Feminists demanded that proof that a woman killed herself because of dary harassment should be com sidered adequate evidence for a charge of sbetment. [Nataly this proof would consist of teighours' and | Mother a dowry siti calling fr police action, Deli, date not known“Om Swat’, Delhi 1980 visitors statmentsaswellas those of the vei herself Ulewersete) “The law has been a considerable disappointment to feminists The single judginent which caused women repice was soon reverie and when they expresed ‘isapprobation ¢ this decision, contempt of court mis Slapped upon thein. Eariy in November 1885, justice RN. Aggnval ofthe Delhi High Court revered the JjudgemeacofS M. Aggarvalin the Session Court, onthe Gath of Sudha Got, use SM Aggarwal ad found ‘hove accused guilty of murder, bat Juice RIN. Agra trltet them off becuse he sid the evidence was inade- Sate, Women’s organizadons protested against the {ojutal on November Tih, i the High Court com pound. A contempt of court petion was fled against three ofthese organisations the arwadi Mahia Sami, ‘Karmika, and the Mabila Dakshata Sami although larger member had en involed. When asked why only three had been indicted, the petitioners sid i€ was because they only recognized those three, which seems Unley since the National Federation of Indian Women, isan old established and fait well known ognizaion, sn Salli had beenin the mens recent Justices Sochar fand Sen, who heard We pedtion, seemed gropatee to she women, fr they aque Binds Kaa and Sab thera Buia he Jaen Stand Kari rese {heb Suan Koaban ant ofthe Maia Daihaa ‘Sima ea uty because her defence made rot persoaldgeat ibe jules” ‘However egal stints wo dowry det hate Bost changing since ten. In Deemer 1988 the Crisio | {iv Gacondsnendmen) Actas pase. inode | tection 196A tothe Indian Penal Coe. Under i | ‘uel to ane ws made a cogaebl,nomballl ‘Sect, phabeby ute tes year pisos Sid fine. Cray redefined to ine menial ‘ells pysealharmene Secondly, Secon 1A Ue niece Aca amendes wo mare cours | drow an inference of abetment to sie. Tectia tha cad sifing the Burden of prot ané ds lesen te burden pon the complainant. Both es ‘anges the lr eang toss were xno Temas wanted Fly, be Acted Secon 4 | ‘fhe Crna ocd Code, making pot 0 ‘rainaton compasory onthe body of x moma | ‘ied within seven years of mariage. Since mast ‘deaths oceurin the ary years of mariage, this 00" ‘SNeleome amendment fata November 198088 | SeEeigussereand Sub- sarespee Dasha, sve been Criminal troduced der this, baile 13 oF rtnically vd thst ety what ‘sion 74 rman who sre dowy 1960, the ‘oan Sah’, Delhi, 1980, central government had ordered compisory investiga fou ad posemortem i esesofraried women ding der mmanateicumstancesduring theft fveyeas to maiges And in September 1980 the Haryana Gor Crnment had ordered the potice w register unnatiral (leahs of marred women under Section $02 of the Indian Penal Code that asmrder. Casesof suspected. hetnent to suicide (however indirect were to Be reg iMcred under Secion 306 of the Indian Penal Code (ford to commit suicide). 85, de Supreme Courtrevered the High Court cuit ofthe accused inthe Soda Goe] cate sent in het_motherin law and husband to lifeimprison- iment and leg her brodherinaw off for lack of ‘idence, And in the Hardeep Kaur (Harlecp was 8 [end of Tarvinder Kaus who was Killed soon ater Trarier wat eave, er mother tla wasjuaged gully ty the High Court in Rajasthan a two judge bene Rootenced the wo cosiced of dowry raurder to ange again asa exemplary punshinent The sentence, Towever ir ikely to be reversed. Final, i 3 case of dowry Harasmentin Delhi, the magistrate efused tall fo te accused, direting the woman to collect those items dhe Brought as dom. What is fascinating about the movement against dowry and dowry silence i how ithas woven together ceri aiferene inde of wiades towards omen in babe om feminist oantrpariarchal vo anteapitais to wopian patriarchal. The ler is be largely by ‘Bemuho eeitisthee das good patarchsto protec Bhd cae for their wie: ire not song the women ovement, agent dowry and” dowr-deaths, Many omen ace this movement relate the incidence of Try mrs or suiide to the way capitalism s devel ‘ping in tdi ov describe bythe Str Sangharsh analy seetboed earlier, On the her band, most of them see ‘Sitaram ant-paiarchal ise rather dan a feminist. ihe wile prev are mounted guns he sore lon ofyoung women—and wmedmesyoung mene tou res the contactal natoe of mariage tel ot uy ay hat hey hence die marrage or hit Penton Tissue more tothe of gap feminists teel Tetween ee spratione and most women'sexperience fh Ina a gap hich is alo felecte i dhe diference eaneen the language they se andthe language used yall aoe eforeers et, In dhe next section, Rhein oa chzonelogy ofthe rape agitation, we se this Uiterence most deat[eRe Notes 1. Alfie in n Sach of Ansuers op cit, pp. 215-16. 2 Pinta, My Sry. Our Stary of Rebun Broken ‘Lines, Wornen's Cente, Bombay, November 84, pp. 11,12, 18 3. Robin, Sujata SV. and Neelam C., My Lifes One one Gnagla Pracshabdy Madras, p72. The in How March 1983, Deli fpeaker the widow of a ralway work. & Deepihi, ‘Women Lecturers Mobilise Agsinst ee Pasa pct tnnere Writen at Dowry Death, The Tine of India Beate Deegp does eiwinteresing hatot 9, Information fom Subhadra Batali the cleven pieces in the section of the book