Page 92 - SocialHarmony

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Mother, Let Me Enter This World

(Matruvandana Yatra, Stop Girl Child Abortions, Save
the Girl Child. Mandvi Road, Rajkot Taluka,
December 12, 2006)

Sometimes the race towards progress can blind man to the
dangers of the future. We can save ourselves from these
dangers only if we are aware of them. In the twenty-first century
known as the century of knowledge, the educational and
financial situation has improved in Gujarat, but another misery
plagues us.

You will be shocked to know that against a thousand baby
boys, only 840 baby girls are born in Gujarat, which means 160
girls fewer. If this scenario continues, society will be scattered.
For every thousand people, there will be 150 who will remain
unmarried. How can the cycle of society remain healthy in the
face of such imbalance? We have accepted man and woman as
the two wheels of the family and have advocated equal
partnership of both in our society for centuries. The sin of
destroying unborn foetuses in not limited only to Gujarat, but
has spread to each corner of India. I do not know how much the
other states are worried about this problem. However, as far as
Gujarat is concerned, I am disturbed by this situation.

The situation is much better among the tribals from
Umargam to Ambaji, who are not educated and lack worldly
knowledge. They believe in equal status for sons and daughters.
Our primitive brothers living in forests do not fall prey to this
sin, but we, who are educated, are ready to kill daughters in the