Local Goa News

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Dowry cases can’t be linked to Laadli Laxmi scheme: AG

PANAJI : Advocate General Saresh Lotlikar has stated that dowry harassment cases cannot be linked to the government’s Laadli Laxmi scheme as  tormentors involved in such crimes will continue to do so because they are blinded by greed.
Lotlikar told ‘The Navhind Times’ that the deaths occurring due to harassment for dowry cannot be related to the scheme.
He said, “People who are after money will harass irrespective of the scheme. These are instances of greed and dowry demands, and harassment of the women for dowry is a social problem and the laws have been formulated to act upon them.”

He said that since the death of the woman Vanita Gaonkar occurred within seven years of her marriage, “based on the prima facie evidence a case has to be registered under the Dowry Prohibition Act”.
Logically, a case is registered and the police investigate as per the Dowry Prohibition Act, he added.
Goa pradesh Congress committee general secretary Pratima Coutinho pointed out that the Laadli Laxmi scheme involves monetary benefits and the government has not come clear on the beneficiary of the money the scheme accrues.
She said, “The government has not come clear whether the money is for the girl or her parents who spend on her marriage or the in-laws. What mechanism has been made on being harassed?”
Coutinho said the Laadli Laxmi scheme should have been rather rechristened as ‘dowry death scheme’ as many young women suffer silently in the guise of being the laadli only for the money that this scheme provides.
Demanding that the scheme be amended, she said, “The government should support every woman attaining the age of 18 years and provide not just Rs 1 lakh but if needed Rs 2 lakh for either gaining higher education or being self-employed rather than relating monetary benefits to marriage.”
Social activist and convenor of the NGO ‘Savera’ Tara Kerkar had earlier claimed that there has been a rise in incidents of women being harassed by the in-laws over the share of money from Laadli Laxmi Scheme.
Kerkar had claimed that she has come across 30 such cases wherein young women are being harassed by the in-laws.
Stating that the scheme was being misused, she had urged the government to come out with guidelines to deter the in-laws from staking claim over the money.

NT Network Goa News

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