SAVE THE INNOCENT

Indian culture is one of the oldest cultures in the world. In our sacred culture, women have been given the status of goddess. 

In the modern era, people's ideas and standards are also changing. Social beliefs are also changing. In ancient India, it was said about women – “Yatra Naryastu Pujyante Ramante Tatra Devata”, that is, where women are worshiped, the gods reside there, with changing times the definition of woman also changed. After that time again changed its course.

“First give safety to the daughter in the womb, then talk about safety in the streets.” – Upasana Pattanayak.

Not only this, many forms of God like Mother Saraswati, Lakshmi, Mata Sita, Maa Durga and Maa Kali etc., are always revered in the form of a woman.

But in today's time the circumstances have completely changed. With the passage of time, there was a change in the thought streams of the people, but this change is negative. Such an ideology of people who stigmatize our sacred culture has always hindered the development of society.

It is the misfortune of India that women are not getting proper respect in the society. On one hand, a girl is worshiped, she is considered a goddess. On the other hand, as soon as the girl's fetus comes in the womb, a plan to kill her starts being made. Fetal killing means killing the child as soon as it comes in the womb. People do not think at all that they are doing disgusting things. They kill a living being before it even enters the world.

Female foeticide is the killing of a female fetus in the womb before the end of its time, being only a girl.

“How to be safe on the roads who are not safe in the womb.” – Upasana Pattanayak.

Ultrasound technology progressed in India in 1979, although its spread was very slow. But it started spreading widely in the year 2000. It has been estimated that since 1990, more than 10 million female fetuses have been aborted because of being a girl. In the past, people believe that a boy child is superior to a girl child as it will provide manual labor along with carrying forward the family lineage in the future. The son is seen as the property of the family while the daughter is considered as the responsibility.

Fetal diagnosis was invented for the health of the fetus, but it was used as a weapon of sex determination. Many women become victims of death due to this embryo termination (repeated abortion). Many times she is not able to become a mother again due this reason only. Whatever the government makes laws, it is more important that we have to change our thinking.

By doing such acts, they are becoming partners in sin. Excessive foeticide is also harmful for the society. It has been proved that daughters are more intelligent than sons. Sons leave their parents and go away, but daughters always support their parents and take care of them. Brings light to the name of the parents in the society. Even then, the parents kill the daughter in the womb by getting into the attachment of the son. But every family needs a son.

No one wants a daughter. This is a kind of treason, because for the development of the nation, the development of both men and women is necessary. Scientific advancement in the field of medicine and the sick mentality of the society are both responsible for foeticide. Because of son's attachment, only people get sex determination. If there is a daughter, then what will happen to her, they get murdered. This is a legal offence. Doctors also do wrong things by getting greedy for some money.

Women are seen in Indian society as a ominous for their family and society. For these reasons, the practice of female foeticide has been going on in India for many years since the time of technological advancement. As per 2001 census data, the male to female ratio is 1000 to 927. A few years ago, almost all couples used sex determination tests to know the sex of the baby before birth. And abortion was certain if the gender was a girl.

The heads of many prestigious institutions are women. They are also financially strong and supportive to their family. Society will have to change its ideology. Equal rights and respect will be given to both son and daughter. Along with this, women also have to be determined.

According to science, only man is responsible for the birth of a son or daughter, but even today in society, the woman is blamed for the birth of a daughter. There are many examples like Indira Gandhi – Former Prime Minister of India, Pratibha Patil - Former President of India, Meira Kumar - Former Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj - Former Chief Minister of Delhi, Smriti Irani - Minister of Women and Child Development of India, Lata Mangeshkar – Indian Singer, Asha Bhosle – Indian Singer, Kalpana Chawla – Indian-American astronaut, Mary Kom – Indian Boxer, Chanu Saikhom Mirabai - Indian weightlifter, Sudha Chandran - Indian Actress, Aishwarya Rai – Indian Actress etc., who have brought pride to the country and their parents. 

Women have got those places in Indian culture but of society. Many contractors interpreted as per their wish and proved the daughters to be bad ominous.

The reasons behind the increasing rate of this evil also goes to the woman. The woman becomes the enemy of the woman and does not want to give birth to a daughter. If a daughter-in-law gives birth to a son, she becomes a daughter-in-law, otherwise she is harassed by mentally and physically. 

Due to some cultural and socio-economic policies, female foeticide is an immoral act, which is being done since time immemorial. The following are the reasons for female foeticide in Indian society:

The main reason for female foeticide is the preference of the child over the girl child because the son is the main source of income while the girls are the only consumer. There is a misconception in the society that boys serve their parents while girls are not.

The old practice of dowry system is a major challenge before the parents in India which is the main reason to avoid the birth of girls.

The position of women is low in comparison to the men in the Indian society.

Parents believe that sons will carry forward their name in the society, whereas girls are only there to take care of the house.

The second major reason for illegal sex determination testing and termination of a girl child is the legal recognition of abortion in India.

Technological advancement has encouraged the fetal diagnosis to study the abnormalities of the fetus but it us used illegally by female foeticide.

Only a woman can remove this evil. Due to the silent support and acceptance of women, this problem of feticide is growing. Daughters are considered the cause of insecurity. Today it is thought that it is useless to spend so much money on girl's education, writing, upbringing, because she has to go to her in-laws' house one day with too much dowry. The name of the heredity, only the son will carry forward. We worship the Mother Goddess but prevent her from taking birth. Sweets are distributed on the birth of a son. At the same time, when a daughter is born, no one distributes sweets which is extremely sad for the society. The owner of the property is also considered to be the son and not the daughter.

Since ancient times, girls are given less respect and importance than boys in Indian society. They do not have access like boys in the fields of education, health, nutrition, sports etc. To fight gender selective abortion, there is a need for greater awareness among the people. A famous program run by Aamir Khan on TV “Satyamev Jayate” has done a wonderful job to increase awareness among the common people through its very first part of “Betiyan Anmol Hoti Hai”. There is a need for cultural intervention on this issue to convey it through awareness programme. In the context of the rights of girls, recent awareness programs like “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” or “Balika Suraksha Abhiyan” etc. have been made.

The people of Indian society were accustomed to have children continuously till they get the boy by killing all the girls before the boy. In order to control the population and prevent female foeticide, the Indian government made various rules and regulations against female foeticide and the practice of abortion after sex determination test. The murder of a girl child by abortion is a crime all over the country. 

As we all know that female foeticide is a crime and social disaster for the future of women. We should pay attention to the causes of female feticides happening in Indian society and regularly solve all one by one. Female foeticide is mainly due to gender discrimination. There should be a legal screw to control this. The rules related to this should be strictly followed by all the citizens of India. And anyone found wrong for this brutal crime must be punished.

If doctors are involved in this, their license should be canceled permanently. Illegal sex determination and especially the abortion, must be stopped. Those in-laws who want to kill their girl should be punished. 

Some people consider the birth of a daughter as the arrival of Lakshmi, some people consider it inauspicious. Even today there is a belief in the society that if there is a son, he will be with him for life, he will inherit the property, will pass on the lineage, and will give fire. It is right to give importance to sons, but to insult daughters and by not giving them equal status as sons is absolutely wrong. If the killings continue like this, then who will tie “rakhi” on the wrist? Where will the girl come from for marriage? Who will bear the mother's womb for the next generation?

Regular campaigns and seminars should be organized to make young couples aware. There should be empowerment of women so that they can become more conscious about their rights. To get rid of female feticide, spreading awareness about the importance of girls in the society is one of the main weapons.

“I am a girl but don't feel that I am weak. Touching thoughtfully, do not consider any weak raw string.” – Upasana Pattanayak.

“If women are safe, nation is safe.

If she can create, she can also destroy.

Woman can also protect herself.” – Upasana Pattanayak.

“Innocent daughter's innocent call, they also have the right to live.” – Upasana Pattanayak.