After 28-year-old Nikki Bhati's horrific murder allegedly by her husband and in-laws, dowry as a fatal flaw in society has made headlines again.
Nikki's father, Bhikari Singh Payla, cited “community traditions” and “social norms” to explain why he agreed to dowry at the time of marriage, and why his daughter had to keep going back to the violent household despite frequent disputes.
He also blamed her mother-in-law, who has been arrested too, as “the mastermind of the entire incident”. He told news agency ANI, “It is the duty of the mother, as well as the father, to ensure the children stay together. But she, rather than making them stay together, upset their relationship."
Nikki Bhati's family has said they gave “gifts” such as an SUV, then a motorcycle, and gold to her husband Vipin Bhati at the time of marriage in 2016, but Vipin and the in-laws wanted more and kept torturing her, more recently over her social media activity and desire to reopen and beauty parlour.
And Nikki was not the only one — her sister Kanchan was married to Vipin's elder brother Rohit at the same time, and suffered similar torture for years. Now Vipin, along with Rohit and their parents, is in police custody, still sticking to their claim that Nikki “died on her own”.
{{/usCountry}}And Nikki was not the only one — her sister Kanchan was married to Vipin's elder brother Rohit at the same time, and suffered similar torture for years. Now Vipin, along with Rohit and their parents, is in police custody, still sticking to their claim that Nikki “died on her own”.
{{/usCountry}}Also read | Nikki Bhati's family compromised for years ‘out of fear of social shame’
Nikki's father Bhikari Singh Payla was asked by reporters why he did not object to dowry, which is illegal for six decades now, at the first instance. "In our clan, marriages happen through mediators. And I had married off my daughter well," he replied to a question by NDTV.
He said he had gone to Nikki's home “to make them understand once again that they should make the relationship work”, just five days before the murderous assault.
Nikki was beaten, dragged, and set afire by Vipin Bhati last week, as per videos shot by her sister Kanchan who was also beaten unconscious.
The father was asked by another news channel, Bharat Express, why he did not go to the police and kept sending Nikki back on promises by Vipin and his family.
“Prashasan aur police ke paas tab jaaya jata hai jab biradari aur samaaj se kaam na ho. (We would go to the police if the society and community did not intervene),” he said, “Samaaj ke hisaab se chalna padta hai… biradari ne guarantee li, toh unki baat taali thode ja sakti hai (We have to go by social norms. When the community took responsibility, how could we have gone against what they said?)”
He added, “The community intervened and even Vipin and his parents came to us with the promise that this won't happen again.”
Now, he has demanded instant justice, asking for “Baba ka bulldozer” from UP CM Yogi Adityanath to demolish the accused family's home, and death penalty for them "from PM Narendra Modi and the courts".