Bara, March 14:

Parents of 21 youngsters today announced that they would not demand dowry during the marriage of their children as a part of their campaign against dowry system in the district.

Parents of 21 youth from Dharmanagar, Rau-wahi, Telkuwa, Golgunj and Uchidiha village development committees made such a promise at an interaction organised by the Rural Development Centre (RDC) in association with Action Aid Nepal in Bara. The system of demanding dowry, sometimes much higher than what the bride’s parents can afford, is rampant in the locality but the bride and bridegroom’s parents do not disclose the amo-unt of dowry these days, said Rural Development Centre chairperson Devendra Giri. Cases of torture to women for not bringing dowry have often resulted in deaths. Prithvi Raj Pandey of Kalaiya- 7, opined that if guardians provide education to their daughters, it would help control dowry system in the society. Love marriage could be another way to discourage dowry system, Pandey added.

Mumtaj Ansari of Dhamanagar expressed his commitment not to demand dowry while marrying his two sons. Discouraging dowry is a positive step, as it would reduce the dowry-related violence, said Hridaya Narayan, a local.