A historic initiative has been taken to end this evil practice after several consecutive cases of dowry death have come to the fore in Kerala. Governor Arif Muhammad Khan observed a one-day fast at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday. This is the first time in the history of the state that the Governor has observed a fast for social welfare.
Opposition Congress and BJP supported the Gandhian step taken by the Governor for public awareness against social evils. He also said that the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government of the state had failed in the protection of women and due to this the governor was forced to observe a fast. BJP leader and Union Minister V. Muraleedharan wrote in a Facebook post, "Congratulations to the Governor who is observing a fast for the safety of women and girls in Kerala." Praising the Governor's move, he said perhaps it was a "rare episode" in the administrative history of the country. Muraleedharan also said that the state government should find out why the governor had to observe a fast for women's safety.
Kerala Pradesh Congress President K. Sudhakaran recounted that the governor had to take this step because the government failed to protect the people of the state. Describing the fast as a "rare incident", he said the governor has raised a "perfect issue". The Kannur MP said, “The situation has now become in Kerala that the governor has to take the Gandhian path of protest. The state government cannot shy away from its responsibility.
Adding a new chapter in history, Governor Khan began his fast at the Raj Bhavan at 8 am and appealed to the people to end the dowry system. The fast lasted till six in the evening. In his support, people fasted at Gandhi Bhavan under the auspices of the pro-Gandhi fund. Last month, Khan had appealed to women not to demand dowry at the time of marriage and to launch an agitation against the practice. She made this appeal after visiting the house of Vismaya, a medical student who was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her husband's house in the Kollam district after she complained of dowry harassment.