Is Modi's desperate call to save girl child too late?

The campaign for saving the girl child was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Panipat in the presence of Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit, Maneka Gandhi minister for woman and child development, Smriti Irani Minister for Human resources along with Chief minister of Haryana. Modi took up the issue of saving girl child with appeal of human emotion and literally begged to save the life of girl child. It's really a shame for the whole nation to come to this stage.

The Gender ratio disparity is widening day by day and in several states it is 1000 male to 900 female on an average and in some states it's 1000:850. The society is already facing the brunt due to the shortage of women for marriage. Many urban youth are not finding suitable brides for marriage and they are remaining bachelors. It’s a fact today that girl is choosing the boy who is suitable for her. Boys are at the receiving end irrespective of the economical class, race and society. This is leading to frustration among boys resulting in attacks and crime against women. The situation is so sad that shortage of girl children is becoming a curse on them.

Girl child is being thrown away in many states in our country due to several reasons. Firstly, the male are being treated as wage earners in down trodden and BPL families (Gender wage disparities) . Many in the society feel that boys can grow up without much care and security which is not true in the case of a girl child. Dowry and other post marital economic burdens on the girl child’s parents is also causing the abortion of girl child in poor families. Last but not the least , lack of social security in protecting girl child from the cruel hands of the animals in human body.

The Government has to take steps to secure the life of girl child by giving her free education until PG irrespective of caste for BPL category. Secondly, the parents who are bringing up more than one girl child in the family should be given priority for employment reservation. Similarly government should provide all girl children free medical care in all government hospitals from her birth to first two deliveries for low income groups. Most importantly, they should be given concessional travel in all government buses and trains along with priority in reservation. It's still a shame that only one ladies compartment is being provided in many trains which is not sufficient in these days where single women are travelling farther distances.

Girl child should not only be empowered economically but also physically by imparting skills in defending herself from physical assaults by making martial arts training as a compulsory subject in government and private schools and colleges.

Finally, the society cannot ignore the fact that women themselves have to be more compassionate towards fellow gender leaving jealousy, greed and partiality whether it's a daughter or daughter in law, mother or mother in law, sister and sister in law. We have learnt of how government works on women issues with the delay in Women reservation bill in Parliament so do not expect things from some one else to rescue your gender. Wake up and join the movement of Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao.

By Raghu bhushan Eranki