This is an interesting way to break the caste barriers. The target audience is of course the villages where such differences are more pronounced.
>Also it is another stark reminder of Hindu intelligentsia's >abject failure in contributing anything towards modernizing >their society.
This may be a patch-up solution in the short-run, but I agree, it is no long-term one. LT needs educating the masses and society of the evils of caste barriers and stigmas.
>Would it also NOT contribute towards perpetuating and >encouraging bride abuse,
It might. But doesn't that happen anyway, and also within the same caste marriages? That is more a question of dominance of the male species than of inter-caste marriages, IMHO.
One way, may be to impose a penalty for breaking the 'contract' of the GOI's intention. If XYZ happens, you will have to return the cash award (with interest) or go to jail.
--Ram
On 9/15/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Very interesting! Never heard of it before.
Points, once again, to bribery, as a means for solving desi-problems.
Surely bribery has been the 'mokordhwaaj' ( panacea) for everything
else. Why not breaking caste-barriers?
Also it is another stark reminder of Hindu intelligentsia's abject
failure in contributing anything towards modernizing their society.
Anyway, your question is very valid, Santanu. Add to that another:
Would it also NOT contribute towards perpetuating and encouraging
bride abuse, considering that dowry related abuse,is already so
pervasive in these same societies? Rs. 50K may sound paltry to urban
Indian professionals or businessmen, but in rural India it still
remains a huge amount. Certainly it would be an incentive to many.
But what if after the money is spent, and the old stigmas and social
pressures, including ostracization, haunt the newlyweds and lead to
desertion if not divorce?
It is at best, a desperate attempt, but fraught with even worse
consequences than it hopes to eradicate.
At 11:09 PM -0500 9/14/06, Roy, Santanu wrote:
>The Indian government apparently wants to pay people for marrying
>into the two "lowest castes" (of each state).
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5346720.stm
>Question:
>If these financial incentives work (i.e., encourage more people to
>marry into these lower castes than would be the case if such
>incentives were not in place), then would not money be the critical
>factor causing these additional marriages (almost by definition) &
>if so, is it socially desirable to have these additional marriages
>take place?
>Santanu.
>
>
>
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