SIKH ISSUES
Female Foeticide
A LINE OF THOUGHT
Many a schemes, programmes have been launched by NGOs and the Government to put an end to the practice of female foeticide and female infanticide, the latest being ‘Beti bachao‘. But we should, in fact, simultaneously launch ‘Bahu Bachao‘, as it is the plight of daughter-in-law and her parents, courtesy our culture, that is the root cause of female foeticide. A girl’s parents rather abort her than first educate her, and then give her away along with dahej, only to be bossed/abused/burnt by in-laws.
Have we ever thought that such practices are peculiar to India and a few neighbouring countries only, and are unheard of in European/American and even Muslim countries?! If we can rid of cultural trends like dahej, craze for sons, the make-belief superior status of groom’s family over the bride’s family, etc., etc., the declining female to male ratio will automatically be taken care of. The Indian Government prohibits taking as well as giving dowry, and daughters now have equal share in property as sons. Let the Indian culture too change its mindset.
Courtesy recent scientific advances, if a female can now produce offspring without the male, shall we, for that reason, begin male foeticide? Let us live and let live.