MSS starts campaign against luxurious marriages and dowry in Kerala

By NDChronicle.Com Correspondent,

Tirur: marriages in Kerala have become a very costly affair. A common family has to spend at least a couple of lakh rupees to get the daughter married. The worst thing is that they have to give huge amount of gold as dowry besides everything under the sun.

In recent years there has been an increased trend of opposition by ulama and other people who have seen its effects on innumerable families. Debt incurred during the marriage of one daughter can actually keep the whole family bogged down for one’s lifetime.

Marriage ceremonies should not be the occasions to show off the wealth and affluence, Muslim League’s Member of Parliament and former Kerala Minister, E.T Muhammed Basheer said. There should not be any luxury even in preparing invitation letters for marriage parties, the former Education minister said. He was inaugurating a campaign by the Muslim Service Society against dowry and luxurious marriages in Kerala, especially in Malabar.  

MSS state general secretary T.K Abdul Kareem presided over the function. MSS leaders announced that the organization was forced to conduct a comprehensive campaign against luxurious marriages since the number of such marriages is on a rise in Kerala, especially in Malabar area.

P.K Zainaba, member of the state Women’s Commission made the keynote address. In Kerala, more than 18 lakh families are trapped in debts carrying out marriages of their daughters with dowry, she said.

MSS is a Calicut based social and educational organization having branches, members and institutions all across the state and in Gulf countries. The society was formed in 1980. Eminent scholars, educationalists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, industrialists, businessman, social workers and general public are associated with the society. The main goal of the society that has no political connection is the upliftment of people in general and Muslims of Kerala in particular.