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India moves to help abandoned brides |
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India has announced plans to set up a special overseas network to crack
down on fake marriages that often result in brides being abandoned
either home or in Canada.
The special units, which will operate in Canada and other countries with a significant Indian population, will help parents verify eligibility of prospective grooms, and ensure abandoned brides receive legal and medical aid.
A major reason for the growing problem with abandoned brides is the practice of parents offering dowries to grooms in so-called "arranged marriages". An increasing number of Canadian men of Indian origin - mostly Sikhs - wed back home for the dowry, then return never to see their brides again.
The dowry can often run into several thousands of dollars.
Last October, Sikh holy leaders in Amritsar urged the community to stop offering dowries for their daughters in a bid to prevent dishonest non-resident Indians from seeking to defraud their Indian brides.
In January, New Delhi's Union Ministry for NRI Affairs launched an educational campaign listing precautions women should take when considering marriage proposals from abroad, as well as outlining their rights under Indian law.
A Canadian Marriage Fraud Victims Force Society was set up recently in British Columbia to assist both male and female victims of marital fraud. It plans to petition Ottawa for a change to Canada's immigration law placing a "three-year condition" on spousal sponsorship.
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Newsfile 