Gagan K Teja, Tribune News Service
Patiala, February 13. Members of the Canada-based Nach Baliye dance group, which is actively working against the menace of dowry and female foeticide, reached Khalsa College here today to motivate students to take a ‘No Dowry’ pledge.
More than 300 students of the college participated in this international anti-dowry campaign that was initiated by Dr Harshinder Kaur in Canada. She, along with her husband, was present in the college and addressed the gathering. She said that all such petitions would be sent to the UN.
Sumeet Gill, a graduate from Carleton University, Canada, who formed this dance group after being inspired by Dr Harshinder Kaur’s fact-based speech about the evil at her university, said they had decided to come to an Indian college to deliver the message that this menace was prevalent on an international level and needed to be immediately dealt with.
“Our aim is just to tell them that we have already initiated the battle against this evil in our country. Now it is their turn if they want the Indian society to get rid of it,” added Neeru Gill and Kiran Rai from Toronto.
Appreciating the endeavour of Dr Harshinder Kaur and Nach Baliye team, college principal Dr Dharminder Singh Ubha said female foeticide was an extreme form of violence against women and he was glad that these girls were raising their voice against this practice. “Everyone knows that giving and taking dowry is an offence. But people still indulge in this practice.
Therefore, it is really important that youngsters should take a pledge against dowry” he added.
Dr Gurdish Kaur, convener of the Nanhi Chaan Cell of the college, said it was a matter of great pride for them to be part of this international campaign and they would continue to work on these lines. She said the dowry system was one of the greatest evils in India and was the major cause of female foeticide. She stressed the need for such initiatives for educating girls and spreading awareness among the youth.
It is estimated that about 50 million girls have gone missing. They are aborted based on their sex. India has passed laws 18 years ago making it illegal for a medical practitioner to reveal the sex of an unborn baby. This law is rarely implemented because most of the government officials and judiciary are apathetic to this epidemic. This has caused the sex ratios to be extremely skewed in certain parts of India.
Please read the following articles and the story of one lone woman, Dr Mitu Khurana, who has bought a case against the hospital, her husband and in- laws, who illegally found out the sex of her unborn twin baby girls and then tried to force her to have an abortion. She has been given the run around for four long years by the Indian judicial system.
http://crybelovedcountry.com/2012/01/the-face-of-gendercide/
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main51.asp?filename=Ne040212Lack.asp
Can anyone give a voice to the 50 million girls that have been silenced forever? All Dr. Khurana is asking for is a chance to go before an unbiased judge and be heard. Can we give a voice to the 50 million murdered and raise the question with Indian officials as to why they are silently witnessing the elimination of a whole generation. The silence of the Indian officials tell the story and makes us wonder if Dr. Khurana and the 50 million dead baby girls will ever see justice done.
Please give those 50 million girls silenced forever, a voice. Please forward this to as many friends as possible.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/a-mothers-fight-to-save-her-daughters/
http://gendercide.epetitions.net/
After you sign the petition, there will be a request from the site for a donation. This donation is totally discretionary and does not in any way or form affect or benefit Dr Mitu Khurana. All she is asking for is your support (signing this petition) so that pressure can be put on the Indian authorities that the whole world is watching them in total disbelief as they make a young mother run around in vain for four years in search of justice.