Indian Brides Sent to Mideast

Re “India’s Marriage Pipeline to the Mideast,” Oct. 27:

Trafficking in women occurs among Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and people of all backgrounds for one reason only: poverty. The claim that “Islamic tradition” regarding divorce and supposed early marriage is responsible for the problem of selling Indian Muslim women to Arab men is absurd. The use of religion and other ideologies to justify the exploitation and oppression of women is nothing new or unique to any group. But the Indian government’s hands-off policy toward the country’s Muslim minority with respect to family matters is merely a lame excuse for not taking responsibility and protecting these young women.

Islam, in its pure form, guarantees the rights of women in marriage, one of which is entitlement to a dowry that is the sole property of the bride.

NAHID ANSARI

Muslim Women’s League

Los Angeles

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I have recently returned from India, where we attended several meetings concerning women’s rights and the dowry murders and abuses, so I was interested in your article. It offered another facet of the deplorable dowry customs, but the final paragraph, quoting an “Indian” aphorism needed some research.

When I wished for something as a child, my grandmother would remind me, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride” and she probably didn’t realize she was quoting John Ray (1627-1705), to whom this English proverb is attributed.

GINNY MARTIN

Los Angeles