Smt. Shobha Ojha, President, All India Mahila Congress and Ms Sharmistha Mukherjee, Chief Spokesperson DPCC have issued the following statement to the Press today:-
"Modi government appears determined to convert 'save the girl child' campaign into 'banish the girl child' campaign. Shocking and outlandish statement made by Union Women and Child Development Minister, Smt. Maneka Gandhi proposing to lift ban on sex determination test and instead to make it mandatory, reflects the insensitivity, complete lack of awareness and understanding of the ground realities on part of BJP government. Preposterous and bizarre as it is, lifting the ban will undo years of hard work, institutional mechanisms and legal framework that has been put in place for last two decades to discourage female feticide. Instead of implementing Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PNDT Act) in letter and spirit, Modi government appears to completely abdicate its solemn obligation, thereby opening flood gates for medical termination of pregnancy originating on account of sex of the fetus.
Speaking on behalf of Union BJP government, Smt. Maneka Gandhi, regrettably states, "Those registering the sex of the fetus will have to produce a medical certificate or cite the reason for termination of pregnancy”. Minister appears to be either completely naïve or myopic in her belief that those wanting to kill the girl child will state true reason for termination of pregnancy.
What is even more outrageous is the fact that BJP government wants to keep a track of all pregnant women in India from the time of conception of child up to the delivery. Suggestion by itself borders on eccentricity. Does Modi government intend to act as a police state and employ state machinery to track each and every woman who becomes pregnant?
In absence of widespread, inexpensive and easy access to medical facilities like ultrasound and sonography, especially in rural India; this obnoxious idea of BJP government will only put cumbersome burden on the poor. Making sex determination tests mandatory will lead to corrupt practices like issuing illegal certificates and put the poor under clutches of corrupt government officials and unethical medical practitioners.
Indian judiciary also has played a stellar role in upholding and supporting the cause of complete ban on sex determination tests keeping in mind the unfortunate reality of an in-built prejudice amongst a large section of our populace against girl child. In a landmark judgment, Mumbai High Court recently upheld an amendment to the PNDT Act banning sex selection treatment and pronounced that pre-natal sex determination is as good as female feticide. It went to the extent of holding that Pre-conception sex determination tests violated a woman's right to live and was against the principle tenets of Constitution.
Without addressing the inherent cultural bias against girl child in Indian society that is not going to change overnight, it is extremely irresponsible and insensitive on the part of the Government to take such inconsiderate measures that will only aggravate the situation further, and seriously negate the concerted efforts made by the previous Governments, activists and civil societies against the evil practice of female feticide.
We strongly deprecates this move by Modi government that will ostracize the 'Girl Child' and with one stroke, excommunicate all efforts undertaken by law makers, civil society and ordinary citizens over last two decades. We demand that Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi comes forward to conduct 'Beti Ke Mann Kee Baat' and clarify the stance of BJP government on this single most important issue affecting our Nation.”
"Modi government appears determined to convert 'save the girl child' campaign into 'banish the girl child' campaign. Shocking and outlandish statement made by Union Women and Child Development Minister, Smt. Maneka Gandhi proposing to lift ban on sex determination test and instead to make it mandatory, reflects the insensitivity, complete lack of awareness and understanding of the ground realities on part of BJP government. Preposterous and bizarre as it is, lifting the ban will undo years of hard work, institutional mechanisms and legal framework that has been put in place for last two decades to discourage female feticide. Instead of implementing Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PNDT Act) in letter and spirit, Modi government appears to completely abdicate its solemn obligation, thereby opening flood gates for medical termination of pregnancy originating on account of sex of the fetus.
Speaking on behalf of Union BJP government, Smt. Maneka Gandhi, regrettably states, "Those registering the sex of the fetus will have to produce a medical certificate or cite the reason for termination of pregnancy”. Minister appears to be either completely naïve or myopic in her belief that those wanting to kill the girl child will state true reason for termination of pregnancy.
What is even more outrageous is the fact that BJP government wants to keep a track of all pregnant women in India from the time of conception of child up to the delivery. Suggestion by itself borders on eccentricity. Does Modi government intend to act as a police state and employ state machinery to track each and every woman who becomes pregnant?
In absence of widespread, inexpensive and easy access to medical facilities like ultrasound and sonography, especially in rural India; this obnoxious idea of BJP government will only put cumbersome burden on the poor. Making sex determination tests mandatory will lead to corrupt practices like issuing illegal certificates and put the poor under clutches of corrupt government officials and unethical medical practitioners.
Indian judiciary also has played a stellar role in upholding and supporting the cause of complete ban on sex determination tests keeping in mind the unfortunate reality of an in-built prejudice amongst a large section of our populace against girl child. In a landmark judgment, Mumbai High Court recently upheld an amendment to the PNDT Act banning sex selection treatment and pronounced that pre-natal sex determination is as good as female feticide. It went to the extent of holding that Pre-conception sex determination tests violated a woman's right to live and was against the principle tenets of Constitution.
Without addressing the inherent cultural bias against girl child in Indian society that is not going to change overnight, it is extremely irresponsible and insensitive on the part of the Government to take such inconsiderate measures that will only aggravate the situation further, and seriously negate the concerted efforts made by the previous Governments, activists and civil societies against the evil practice of female feticide.
We strongly deprecates this move by Modi government that will ostracize the 'Girl Child' and with one stroke, excommunicate all efforts undertaken by law makers, civil society and ordinary citizens over last two decades. We demand that Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi comes forward to conduct 'Beti Ke Mann Kee Baat' and clarify the stance of BJP government on this single most important issue affecting our Nation.”
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