No Bribe Just Bride!

Haryana has always been popular for its imbalanced sex ratio because of female foeticide. The ratio has always been low; there are 877 girls for every 1000 boys (according to census of India 2011). It is natural that problems would arise due to this imbalance but the members of unions and elders in the villages have come up with a solution to it. What is the solution?

A large number of unmarried men in Haryana have led to the creation of informal “randa unions”. Their slogan is “Bahu dilao-vote pao” (Get us a bride-get our vote).This issue or rather this solution will be raised in poll meetings with politicians.Previously ministers had tried to woo voters by promising them with brides but now the villagers demand for this has become incessant. “A survey of  56,520 residents in 92 villages of Haryana in 2010, showed that 13.5% men in the age group of 25-29 were unmarried whereas the ideal age of marriage in rural Haryana is 20”. Well in this case only one thing could be said-what you sow, so shall you reap. First you work hard, in every possible way to reduce female population; you want boys because only they can continue your legacy (as if they reproduce) and then you demand brides for marriages!!

Firstly Girls aren’t commodities who could be traded against votes, they aren’t objects. Secondly, how can politicians arrange for brides? This whole idea of bride for vote is senseless. Demanding development against votes is viable but brides? The ‘kunwara union’ (created in 2009) face the problem of being unmarried because of shortage of girls of ‘marriageable age’ and also because of being unemployed. But yet what they ask for or what they are offered as poll gifts are brides not employment opportunities.This is a social issue and nothing but awareness and employment generation could solve it, and this is where politicians could come to service.       ———— About the Author: This article is contributed by Ashwarya Bhardwaj, our intern.