The students at an all-girls college in Maharashtra's Amravati were forced to take a Valentine's Day pledge, stating that they will stay away from love affairs and will not have love marriages.
The students of the Mahila Arts and Commerce College were made to take the pledge as a part of National Service Scheme (NSS) camp.
The pledge read:
“I pledge that I totally trust my parents. So in view of the events that took place in front of me, I will not love or have a love marriage. I will not marry a man who will take dowry. Due to social conditions, even if my family gets me married anywhere, as a future mother, I will not take dowry from my future daughter-in-law. Similarly, I will not give any dowry to the girl. I pledge this as a social duty.”
Speaking to news agency ANI, Maharashtra Women And Child Development Minister, Yashomati Thakur, said that the students must have taken a pledge but it is "not binding on anyone".
“The college must have made them take the pledge in the context of alerting them on cases like that in Wardha”, she added.
The minister was referring to an incident in Maharashtra's Wardha where a 24-year-old college lecturer was set ablaze by a stalker, and later succumbed to her injuries.
(With inputs from ANI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)