College Textbook Lists Merits Of Dowry; Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Urged To Remove It

New Delhi: A college textbook with a section on ‘merits and advantages’ of dowry system has whipped up a chorus of protest on social media.

An image of the page from the book, highlighting ‘Merits of Dowry, has gone viral.

Social media users, who have identified it as a textbook of Sociology for Nurses by TK Indrani, are appalled that such a matter is being taught to college students.

According to NDTV, the book for nursing students is part of Indian Nursing Council’s syllabus.

Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi called upon Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to remove such books from circulation. “That a textbook elaborating the merits of dowry can actually exist in our curriculum is a shame for the nation and its constitution,” she wrote on Twitter.

The book states that “dowry is helpful in establishing new household” with furniture, appliances such as refrigerators and vehicles.

It lists girls getting a share of parental property in dowry as another ‘merit’. Despite the regressive practice being banned in the country, it continues in some sections of society. In fact, dowry-related harassment and physical assault of women lead to a large number of deaths and suicides even in 21st century India.

The article says that an ‘an indirect advantage’ of dowry system is that parents have started educating daughters so that they have to give less dowry.

More appalling is the point that dowry system can help marry off ‘ugly looking girls’.

Twitteratti is unanimous that such books can’t be part of the curriculum for students.