Mehsana residents pledge to fight female foeticide sex determination tests

PALANPUR: "Yatra Naari Astu Pujyante, Ramante Tatra Devta" implies that Gods reside at places where woman is worshiped. The essence of this quotation was exemplified in Mehsana on Saturday when over 500 women and their male counterparts took an oath to shun foeticide and sex determination tests during pregnancy.
The pledge was taken during the Dikari Divas (Girls day) organized at Arbuda hall where couples with one or two girl children were felicitated besides staging of plays and discourses throwing light on the theme of save the girl child in context of Mahila Sashakti Karan (women's empowerment) fortnight.
District collector Lochan Sehra in his address said, "
I am father of two girls and do not aspire for a boy." MP Jaishriben Patel said, "The women here are being given equal regards and rights but unfortunately the sex ratio is skewed." She appealed to the audience to eradicate the deep-rooted traditional indifferent attitude towards girls.
In Palanpur, about 150 college girls were given rifle training in a joint initiative of police and Sadbhawna Group, a social organization. "Rifle training was imparted for their self defense.
The girls are enrolled in the Surakhsha Setu Programme," said police inspector (east) M B Vyas.
Haresh Chaudhary of Sadbhawna Group said, "It is for the first time that women came forward for rifle training in such a large number."
He said that a shooting competition for the girls will be organized next week at police grounds.