Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Satyamev Jayate - Issue of Female Foeticide

Satyamev Jayate "सत्यमेव जयते" the way it is written in Devnaagri Script means the Truth Prevails.

With a recent Reality Show hosted / anchored by none other than the Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, सत्यमेव जयते has hit the mass.  The concept of the show is to try and change the way the thought process of the citizens of India works.  The first show aired made a deep rooted impact on the audience and those who later heard about it.  And why wouldn't it make its impact when the topic was "Female Foeticide".  With the figures being used to represent the Facts of the Dropping Ratio of Male to Female kids where there are only 1000:914 ratio for the male to female kids as per the census of India report for 2011.

So what is it that we are supposed to do?  I am sure there will be only a few who would actually come forward and create a wave of change to ensure that this heinous crime is stopped and those who still support it are brought to justice. Then there would be some like myself, who would write a blog or would tweet on the tweeter to express their opinion and try to stir some sense in few others. And there would be some who would still go and practice the Female Foeticide.  Last but not the least 90% of the audience / viewers would  talk about the topic for few days and then forget what were the figures.  They would forget that the difference of 86 as highlighted in the Census Report for 2011 would by now might have touched the round figure of 100.  That would mean in the Overall population of 1.21 billion (approximate as per the census of 2011), there are roughly 582 million (582,073,684) females as against 628 million ( 628,926,216) males.  That means for around 46 million males in India, there is no female match as that is the difference between the male and female population as per the census approximation.

If we say project that in current year, the ration has further dipped to give us a difference of 100 per 100 males, then the overall difference can be projected of around 63 million. That means a clear message that there would be 63 million males in India who would not get the partner for life. And on this projection, if the population of India grows to 1.5 billion, the male to female ratio would differ for 79 million and for a perfect 2 billion population the ratio would give out a difference of 105 million.  That is Staggering total and that can result in a serious rise in the Crime Against the Female Population.  I wouldn't be surprised if in that scenario if the rate of Molestation and Rape cases go high and may be more females may get pushed to the flesh trade, for by that time the female would be born with a price tag.  On a Lighter Node, we might even see the Dowry trend reversing with Higher Dowry being Offered for marrying more qualified woman.

But, all that is just a Presumption, just a wild thought.  Where we stand today is the point in time when we can do something to avoid those wild thoughts become harsh reality.  It's not the time to think what went wrong and why it went wrong.  We would lose a lot more precious time and precious Female Child in playing the blame game and identifying what to do. 

The only thing to call for is to oppose the child foeticide.  Come forward to deny Sonography to determine sex of the unborn kid. If someone forces you to do that and to then abort the Girl Child, Deny that and raise your voice to be heard by the Law Enforcement Agencies. There are enough examples that you can find in all the sections of society where the mother has opposed any wrong doing to the girl child and if you would walk around to find, you would find if not more than equal number of Fathers too who would have opposed Female Foeticide.  



7 comments:

  1. What Satyamev Jayate didn't highlight is the case of Fathers opposing the Female Foeticide and facing the backfire, but that doesn't mean Fathers do not love their Daughters. A Daughter is Father's Pride and he lives to see her as a Bride.

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  2. Reading thru this write up, I would like to ask, from where these stats were obtained? How true r these?
    There would be more cases gone unreported or then the figures blown out of proportion just to create a false impact to get a TRP.

    As u have mentioned, the stats were derived from the census. Considering that the stats r fairly correct, it doesn't amount to "Female Foeticide". Don't get me wrong, I am not justifying the act. All I am saying is that how many of these figures actually conform to reality?

    Also remember the fact that the program is viewed more in the metros than the rural where its actually more necessary. Albeit that might not be the case… and who watches these programmes – women who undergo the abortion or the families who make then go thru the torture? And besides, how much say do the rural women or for that matter women at large have in these matters?

    Remember Aamir has divorced his first wife.

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  3. Fred Da,

    The Stats are based on the Census of India Report, and if required can be broken down by Rural and Urban cases. I have not watched the show as I was at Community Service then. The Figures quoted in my post are based on the facts that have been accumulated from the Reports and not on the basis of the Figures that may have been presented on the show. It does amount to Female Foeticide as there are various other confirmed reports that I have not highlighted in my post as they would present more gruesome facet of the treatment that the Girl Child gets by the hands of Females only.

    I agree that the program is more watched in Metros than in rural and that's where I stated -

    "I am sure there will be only a few who would actually come forward and create a wave of change to ensure that this heinous crime is stopped and those who still support it are brought to justice. Then there would be some like myself, who would write a blog or would tweet on the tweeter to express their opinion and try to stir some sense in few others. And there would be some who would still go and practice the Female Foeticide. Last but not the least 90% of the audience / viewers would talk about the topic for few days and then forget what were the figures."

    Hope that would address some points as highlighted in your comments

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  4. Mayank, We all know how true and how twisted is the reporting system in our country.
    U can have thousands of blogs and lakhs of tweets supporting or advocating a clause or issue but what good is it of?

    Does the general masses even know of all this social media communications? Reading is a very far off scenario!

    "Crime Patrol" is a program televised every Fri and Sat on SONY TV. There was an episode on Female Foeticide of a case in Sangli - An effluent family from Pune sent their daughter-in-law along with her husband to the doc whose main business was to abort the female fetuses.

    The police got a wind of this, but had no concrete proof to book the doc. The daughter in law finally found the courage to admit to having done the abortion, and the doc was nabbed. What happened post that? Any guesses?? Well to let you know, the doc who had good political connections got away scott free and has gone back to his evil ways.

    Isn't our system and the wasted interests of the politicians responsible for being an ADC in crime?

    What have u to say in this case?

    Sadly, we are all victims of yellow journalism that's running rampant in our country starting from the "Mem" sitting at the helm of it all!

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  5. Fred Da,

    I wouldn't contest on the reporting system in our country, but I myself have been associated with some of the villages in Rajasthan. The cases of female foeticide were quite prevalent there and over a period of 2 years we have seen better results. However, Female foeticide is not the only case that we dealt with. There was a high rate of abandoning new born girl children either at secluded places or selling them to get some money.

    What I wrote was just one part of the overall Crime against Girl Child. There are more than just female foeticide and I am working to collect stats on the other set of crimes....it might take some time, but will surely come out with the same......

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  6. When I was born..!!
    A Great Woman was there To hold me.. My Mother..!!

    When I grew as a child..!!
    A Woman was there to Care for Me & play with me.. My Sister.. !!

    When I went to School..!!
    A Woman was there To help me learn.. My Teacher.. !!

    When I became depressed & whenever I lost..!!
    A Woman was there to offer a shoulder.. My Friend.. !!

    When I needed company, compatibility & love..!!
    A great woman was there for Me.. My Wife.. !!

    When I became tough..!!
    A Woman was there To melt me.. My Daughter.. !!

    And.. When I Die..
    A Woman is there to absorb me In My Motherland.. !!

    If you are a Man Value Every Woman.. !!

    And..

    If you are a Woman.. Be proud to be the One.. !

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  7. " ME AND MY SISTER " --- The Assamese feature film which will release on 29th june 2012. The film deals with the impact of the act of female foeticide on the child. An educated couple are shown to be troubled , harassment of women and panic at the thought that their coming child would be a girl. They even think of killing the foetus. The internal conflicts and anxiety of the pregnant women throws light on the issue. But as , it happens, the woman bears the foetus of twins, a MALE and a FEMALE. The twins talk inside the womb about the world outside where women are not secure. The story artistically depicts today's burning social issue like female foeticide, stressing specially on the rights of woman in the perspective of the changes taking place in the 21st century. The film , shot in Cinemascope 35mm , Concept, Story & Produce by Nipon Dholua under banner NBDK PRODUCTION.

    The Synopsis
    The film, ‘Me and My Sister’, deals with the impact of the act of female foeticide on a child.
Geetartha, Chandana and their only son Akash are living their life with all happiness. Chandana is carrying and is now at primary stage. Geetartha makes sincere efforts to boost up her spirit and confidence while Dr Jharna, a gynecologist and their family friend, provides her with all medical care to ensure smooth and safe birth of the unborn.
    A responsible government officer, Geetartha, one day finds a young lady refusing to accept the award ‘Woman of the Year’, a state award of high esteem. Back home, Geetartha shares his feelings with Chandana, who, on hearing the name of the lady and then seeing her photograph, comes to know that Dolly, the lady, was her best friend during college days.
    Chandana is deeply concerned about the trauma and agony in the life of Dolly and her little daughter Shikha. Along with her husband Geetartha and son Akash, Chandana provides mental support to Dolly and thus she becomes involved with Dolly’s life. Sometimes, one or two disturbing incidents in Dolly’s day-to-day life fetch Chandana mental anxiety, tension which is harmful for her at this very stage of pregnancy.
    In the mean time, Dr Jharna after a routine check up of Chandana finds that she is carrying a twins. This makes both Chandana and Geetartha ecstatic. But Akash is more excited about his sister to be born.

    Days pass on and the event of the award presentation function is nearing. Dolly is adamant in her decision not to receive the award because she does not believe that this award could neither change whatever already has happened to her life nor will bring any change to her future life. She simply and silently leaves the township along with her little daughter Shikha.
    One day, Chandana suddenly falls ill and starts feeling labour pain. At the hospital Dr Jharna tells Geetartha that she is not in a condition now to deliver birth to two babies, and, therefore, one baby in her womb has to be spoiled. Geetartha has no other means for the sake of life of Chandana.
When Chandana is taken to operation theatre, Dolly and Shikha drop in at the hospital. Geetartha, stunned on seeing Dolly after her sudden disappearance, is elated to know that Dolly has come back only to receive the award which will be presented in a glamorous function that evening by the Chief Minister. Dolly tells Geetartha that she will receive the award not for her but for and on behalf of Chandana, the lady who has undergone so much of pain and agony while standing beside unfortunate Dolly and Shikha. 
The operation is successful and it fetches Chandana another son. Geetartha is happy to see his wife Chandana alive perfectly and also to find one more son coming to his family. Back home in Geetartha-Chandana’s place, Akash still waits for his sister who, in fact, was already committed from their life. Forever……………………………….
    Cast
    Prastuti Parashar, Barsharani Bishaya, Saurav Hazarika, Gyanendra Pallab,
    " Child Artists "
    Dishan Dholua , ,Birina
    Mob : 09435049526

    ReplyDelete