?Female infanticide higher in affluent areas? | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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?Female infanticide higher in affluent areas?

None | By, Indore
Sep 23, 2006 03:07 PM IST

?POSH AND so-called developed areas have higher rate of female infanticide as compared to backward areas. Sex ratio in South Delhi, which is among the most prime areas of the country, is 798/1000. There is no such problem as female infanticide in most remote, tribal areas like northeastern states and the Andaman Islands,? said Central Social Welfare Board president Rajni Patil.

“POSH AND so-called developed areas have higher rate of female infanticide as compared to backward areas. Sex ratio in South Delhi, which is among the most prime areas of the country, is 798/1000. There is no such problem as female infanticide in most remote, tribal areas like northeastern states and the Andaman Islands,” said Central Social Welfare Board president Rajni Patil.

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“It’s a wrong impression that the problem of female infanticide has its roots in backwardness. The truth is — the areas that are financially affluent have the highest female infanticide,” Rajni said while addressing a seminar on `female infanticide  – murder of humanity’ at Anand Mohan Mathur Auditorium on Friday evening.

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“We, the so-called civilised people, don’t even spare the Gods in this inhuman act. In big cities, the doctors write `Jai Matadi’ or `Jai Shri Ganesh’ to indirectly indicate the sex of the foetus after sex-determination test,” Patil said at the seminar organised by Bhaiyyu Dada’s Shri Sadguru Datta Dharmik Evam Parmarthik Trust.

‘‘Central Social Welfare Board has also set the goal of increasing awareness towards female infanticide,’’ she said and promised to aid the initiative in her personal as well as official capacity.

Renowned mountaineer Santosh Yadav, who was chief guest, said “Female infanticide leads to social imbalance. If the society is imbalanced this results in imbalance in nature, consequences of which we all have to bear.”

She appealed to all those present to pray for a girl child and said, “its we the women who are the worst enemy of a girl child. If we decide, we will bring forward our daughters, if we decide we want our daughters to go ahead, then only the picture will change.” She also elaborated on how her parents’ love and affection made her what she is today.

“Because mortality rate is high during pregnancy, we lose more women and it is imperative to have more and more females around,” the Padmashri recipient said.

In his address Bhaiyyu Dada said, “Change comes from rebellion but this rebellion has to be for development. In search of material development, we have de-sensitised ourselves. Development is to be taken to the stage, which will lead to peace.”

Reiterating the point put forward by Patil, the spiritual leader said, “its true that female foeticide incidence in villages or in backward areas is lower. Why this rate is high in the cities is because we make it a status symbol. We make it a parameter of false social pride. This has to stop,

we have to restore the dignity of women in the society.” Earlier, paediatric Dr Sanjay Ahirkar gave an audio-visual presentation about the alarming situation due to female infanticide.

Nai Duniya Chief Editor Abhay Chhajlani said use of mass media and reaching out to more and more people through NGOs and social organisations was necessary to carry the message to the masses.

Other speakers included president of MP Mahila Congress Shobha Oza, editor of `Nirogdham’ Dr Premdutt Pandey and MLA Usha Thakur.

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