Act now Sir — It is shameful that even after 60 years since Parliament enacted the Dowry Prohibition Act and 16 years after the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, dowry deaths continue to be a major cause for concern (“Just fight”, June 29). A series of recent suicides and deaths of women in Kerala, allegedly because of dowry-related demands and violence, has revealed the social and economic cracks in the state. Advertisement Kerala, which has the highest literacy rate in the country, was considered to be far more progressive considering the history of social movements in the state. But none, including the Left, took the question of gender inequality seriously, even though poor women played a central role in many of these struggles. While social evils like class and caste have been addressed, questions of gender-based exploitation have often been swept under the carpet. Women have significantly contributed to Kerala’s success in improving social indicators such as literacy, education, birth rate and life expectancy. Yet their presence in leadership roles continues to be minimal.