Taking forth his campaign against the practice of dowry, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan conducted preliminary talks with Vice Chancellors of various State universities on the proposed university-level campaign against the social evil at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday.
He stressed on the need to create a mindset that eschewed the dowry system. Emphasising the role of universities in this regard, he suggested collecting two affidavits from students against dowry—one at the time of admission and the other while receiving the degree. “Social evils begin in the mind; the defence against them should also begin in the minds. The mission of universities is to mould minds,” he said.
Appreciating the government for its prompt action in posting Dowry Prohibition Officers in all districts and at the State level. He also lauded the decision to make employees to sign an undertaking or not accepting or demanding dowry in their personal lives.
Mr. Khan said the need to propagate awareness to an extent that social sanctions were built against dowry. The fear of such a social stigma should deter people from demanding or giving dowry, he said.
The Vice Chancellors who participated in the meeting offered a wide range of suggestions such as including the topic in the compulsory modules and mandatory non-credit and MOOC (massive open online courses) programmes, conducting awareness programmes in colleges, forming social justice forums, linking anti-dowry affidavit with the National Academic Depository, taking a pledge against dowry at the time of appointment of staff, and inscribing anti-dowry messages at key locations on university campuses.
Vice Chancellors of Kerala University, Digital University Kerala, Sree Narayana Guru Open University, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, and the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Davendra Kumar Dhodawat, were among those who participated in the meeting.
