Internet Desk: In a generation where dowry is inevitable and failing to give it may even lead to cancellation of marriage, Olympic wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt has set an example for millions by taking token Re 1 as dowry.
The star grappler is all set to tie the knot with the daughter of Haryana’s Congress politician Jaibhagwan Sharma — Sheetal — on January 16 in Delhi.
The bride-to-be, Sheetal, is the daughter of Haryana Congressman Jaibhagwan Sharma.
“I saw my family struggle to collect dowry for the girls of the family,” Yogeshwar told a newspaper.
“As a result, I decided on two things while growing up — I will excel in wrestling and I will not accept dowry. My first dream has been realised and now it is time to keep my second promise,” he said.
The Olympian said how he wished his father Rammehar Dutt and his first guru Master Satbir Singh had been alive to see him fulfil both his promises.
Dowry, a custom that is prevalent in all the sections of our society in one form or the other, is one of the worst evils of Indian society. At the beginning it was voluntary, but later on the social pressure was such that very few could escape from it.
In India, and particularly in Delhi and other metropolis, dowry murders and suicides have become a matter of great concern. In 2015, Delhi (city) recorded maximum number of suicides over “dowry-related issues” among 53 mega cities — having 10 lakh population and more — according to a report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
It is our moral duty and social obligation to fight against the dowry system and remove it at any cost.