BANGALORE: Speakers at a protest meet organised by All India Mahila Samskruthi Sanghatane (AIMSS) have demanded stringent punishment for girl child abusers.
The Sanghatane had organised a meeting in the wake of brutal killing of a three-month-old girl child, Neha Afreen by her father, Omar Farooq in the city last week. They said this incident has shaken the whole society. “We demand severe punishment for such criminals. The incidents of this sort should not be allowed to happen in the society.”
All India Secretary of AIMSS Dr Jayalakshmi H G said, “Even today women are considered second grade citizens. Due to this attitude and gender inequality, around 20 million girl children have failed to step into the world. This patriarchal attitude in the society has strengthened the opinion that a boy is superior to a girl. Therefore, female infanticide still exists in the country.”
She further mentioned that this practice has made the society unhealthy. To fight this attitude, both men and women together should come forward to spread these progressive ideas for changing the society.
Dr H R Nandinidevi, a renowned gynaecologist said, this incident shows the degraded condition of our society. “Instead of frustration, we the conscious citizens of the land should come together and fight against these social evils. Introduction of PNDT act (Pre-Natal Diagnostic Test) has helped curtail female foeticide. Along with this if a new law is introduced where MTP (Medically Terminated Pregnancy) after 10 weeks will be allowed only with the opinion of 3 doctors, it will bring down the rate of foeticide”, she opined.
State Secretary of AIMSS B R Aparna sharing her experience with the mother of the deceased Reshma Banu said, “The attitude of the society that only a boy child will give salvation to the family should be fought.”