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Demand For Dowry Lands In-Laws In A Soup - By- Tarannum Manjul Live for today, for yesterday has gone and tomorrow still has to come. With this motto in life, this 24 year old young journalist gets going everyday. A through bred Delhite, this graduate in English honours (and several diplomas) went onto to become a journalist working for a leading National daily in Lucknow, (Uttar Pradesh) from the past 4 years. A true gemini to the soul, she loves meeting people and issues related to the underprivileged, women and children touch her the most. a budding development journalist, Tarannum loves writing about the feat achieved by her key areas, and can go anywhere to do that, with nothing stopping her.

In the morning of February 18, for the villagers of a small village in district Varanasi, this was a scene straight out of a Hindi film, leaving everyone surprised and amused at the same time.

Brave girl Neha from Varanasi, who get her in-laws arrested for demanding dowry.

This was a scene at a house where a girl was married the previous evening. The groom's family refused to take the bride with them unless they got a colour TV, the bride came out of her room and refused to go with the groom saying that she did not want to go with 'dowry-hungry' family, the police and panchayat members being called to settle the matter but the girl shouting aloud and refusing to even accept the wedding. And finally, the groom and his father being arrested by the police for demanding dowry.

Neha Pathak, 18-year old girl of village Sai in district Varanasi was the heroine of the village when she refused to go with her groom's family as they had demanded a colour TV and some more things before the vidaai ceremony on February 18. Even when the police and the panchayat tried to sort things out, she continued with her refusal to even accept this wedding. The police finally lodged an FIR against the groom's family and arrested them.

Daughter of Omkarnath Pathak, a paan shop owner in village Sai, Neha is a student of class XII. On Thursday February 17, Neha was married off to Keshavdutt Sharma, son of one Amarpal Sharma of village Narayanpur Dafi in district Varanasi. The marriage went off peacefully, as all the demands of the groom's side had already been met.

But on Friday morning, minutes before the vidaai ceremony, the Pathak household got a shock when the Sharmas demanded a colour TV and refused to take Neha with them if not given. Omkarnath tried to sort the matter and even pleaded that he would give the TV after a few days, yet Amarpal and his son Keshavdutt refused to budge. They even threatened to take back the baraat.

When Neha came to know about these demands, she came out of her room dressed in bridal attire. After knowing the entire incident, she refused to go with her inlaws, calling them 'dowry-hungry' and 'rakshas' (demons). This came as a shock for everyone, and the village elders were called.

But Neha's decision was supported by her mother and aunts, and her father rushed to the Cholapur police station to lodge an FIR against the groom's family. Meanwhile, the village elders started pressuring Neha and her family to agree for a compromise but Neha blankly refused. "I do not want to go with these people. Main yeh shaadi nahin maanti. Aise logon ke yahan main kabhi nahin jaaoongi," she shouted and continued with her protest.

Meanwhile, the police reached the spot but did not make any arrests. The village elders tried to intervene and end the matter with a compromise between both the families, while Neha demanded that all the things, that have been given to the Sharma family should be returned and the wedding should be called off. Finally, after day long drama, the police caught all the baraatis, lodged Neha's FIR and then, arreasted Keshav Dutt and Amarpal Sharma. The baraatis were left.

SARC, a human right group where Neha has worked as a volunteer, also stepped in to help Neha. Ranjana Gaur of SARC said they are ready to help Neha. "We appreciate Neha's work. She has shown immense courage and we are committed to stand by her," Gaur said. SARC's team also visited the spot to meet Neha and brought her to Varanasi to meet the media.

SSP Varanasi, Satya Narayan Sabat said that the girl had indeed taken a very bold step and the police would cooperate with her decision. "Since the girl had registered the case, we managed to arrest the accused. I appreciate Neha's step and the police would cooperate with her."

Speaking to this writer, Neha later said that she would always oppose people when it comes to taking or giving dowry. "I never knew that my parents had given them some things. I would now continue with my studies and even help other girls if they want to protest against dowry like I did."

Way to go Neha.

Till we connect again...

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