Daily Lessons from Life 01 June 2009

"Indian court advises 'hanging' for dowry killers
An average 7,000 women are killed for their dowry in India each year. -Mon, Jun 01, 2009 AFP

NEW DELHI, INDIA - India's Supreme Court observed Monday that anyone convicted of killing a woman over her dowry deserved to hang.


"In India hundreds of innocent women are being burnt to death," the court said in a bail hearing for Mahender Kumar Gulati, a man convicted of killing his wife.

"It is an uncivilised act. How can we do it? We should hang such persons," Justices Markandeya Katju and Deepak Verma said in a written observation quoted by the Press Trust of India.

Although India retains the death penalty, executions are very rare and reserved for the most extreme cases. The last hanging took place in 2004.


The practice of demanding and providing a marriage dowry - in the form of cash, jewellery or expensive gifts from the bride's family to the groom - was prohibited in 1961 but remains prevalent. Cases of women being harassed or set on fire if the dowry is deemed insufficient by their in-laws are also widespread.

"You have burnt to death a woman by pouring kerosene. How can you do such a barbaric act? It is an uncivilised act," the court said in Gulati's case. "We will not grant you any relief. You can try your luck before another bench."

According to women's rights groups, there are an average of 7,000 cases of dowry deaths a year in India. Under Indian law, if a woman dies of "burns or bodily injury" in abnormal circumstances within seven years of her marriage and is proved to have been harassed for a dowry, the case is deemed a "dowry death."

At present, those convicted of killing women under such circumstances face a sentence ranging from seven years to life in prison."

An ancient civilization with uncivilized human act! It is scary to think that 'tradition' or 'custom' can lead a fellow human being to 'kill' his wife due to the inadequacy of dowry money! Shocking but yet it is practiced as reported and highlighted by this case!!

Lessons for me are:

1. only the people from that tradition and custom can break that if the majority of the people are against the uncivilized and murderous act. Other culture will find it hard to intervene lest it become a cultural war!;

2. the Judge has exercised his authority to help the people see that it is unlawful and the penalty must befit the crime. The human activists will say hanging a murderer is just stooping to the same low height as the murderer. I don't quite agree with such an argument. A crime committed must have a consequence. People must take responsibility for their murderous action!;

3. this judgement is significant as it is another case against the uncivilized and murderous act. If society punished such act with consistency and determination, perhaps those who were still harbouring the misconception of: 'maybe I will be spared if I kill for dowry money since the judges were not consistent in their judgement!'. Like this judge said: 'You can try your luck with another bench!' Once they realized that they will get the same consistent judgement, they will stop killing for dowry money as these people are basically cowards and will treasure their lives more than anyone else!

May this change the scary practice of dowry killing in India forever!! Custom and tradition CAN be changed!!