Social anthropologist Kriti Kapila is examining why dowry deaths in India no longer lead to mass political protests, despite continued fatalities. India banned the practice of dowries in 1961.

In 2022, India recorded 6,516 dowry deaths, an increase from 1,841 such deaths in 1988. Ms. Kapila, a social anthropologist at the King's India Institute, part of King's College London, authored a study on dowry deaths in India. She stated, "Even though dowry continues to be practised and continues to be fatal for many women, it is curious that dowry deaths no longer animate any political discussion or mobilisation."

Ms. Kapila pointed to the murder of Nikki Bhati in Greater Noida, who died after her husband set her alight in front of their six-year-old son. This incident was linked to a dowry dispute and led to protests in Delhi. Ms. Bhati was 28 years old at the time of her death.

Anti-dowry protests became one of the initial mass movements organized by women in post-independence India during the 1970s and 1980s. During this period, brides were increasingly murdered in staged kitchen fires using paraffin. Paraffin, also known as kerosene, was phased out of Indian homes in the 1990s.

Ms. Kapila suggested that the more pressing question is not why the anti-dowry law has been ineffective, but why these killings have ceased to generate "the kind of collective grief that once brought thousands of women on to the streets." She added, "That disappearance is not accidental – it has a structure." Political protest is challenging globally, according to Kapila, who stated, "We have strong-handed regimes, including in India, where protest is highly controlled." She elaborated that the "expression of dissent or dissatisfaction is controlled or subject to self-censorship." She believes this reflects a broader political climate, saying "It's reflective of a wider political moment." Ms. Kapila also remarked that it is "difficult to challenge, to find solidarity around issues that challenge social norms."

Ms. Kapila observed a skewed gender ratio from India's 2001 census, which found a national average of 927 girls for every 1,000 boys. In one area of Punjab, this ratio declined to 754 girls for every 1,000 boys. She stated, "Anecdotally, I know people across classes and castes are not contrite about aborting a foetus because they were having a daughter." She speculated that women may "possibly find other ways to protest against dowry deaths."

Why It Matters

Dowry deaths continue to occur in India decades after the practice was legally prohibited, with thousands of fatalities reported annually. Social anthropologist Kriti Kapila's analysis notes a shift in public response, observing a decline in the mass political protests that characterized earlier periods of activism against dowry-related violence. This raises questions about the factors influencing collective action against deeply entrenched social norms in contemporary India, particularly given observations of a more controlled environment for dissent.