Girl child is precious- Save her

The recent reports in the newspapers regarding pre natal test conducted by some doctors in Haryana and other states are very disturbing to all.Though the government has banned such tests but these are still conducted by some greedy clinic/ hospital owners. The doctors are to be blamed for this but the ones who go to them and request or force them to get the test done should also not be spared rather the punishment given to them  should be more harsh. This is also true that very few cases are reported and there are so many which go unnoticed or unreported. Banning the test may not be an effective solution or cure for the serious problem the country is facing. The census 2011 should awake all the citizens of the country to take immediate corrective measures before the situation go out of control. The government alone can not do everything to remove wrong doing in the society rather the role of the society is very important if the social evils are to be uprooted completely  . In the name of some traditions we can not allow the girl child to be killed even before they are born.
At the same time we should try to understand the reason behind such killings and why does it happen only in the states that boasts of being among the most prosperous ones. This has been for centuries that the male child in India is considered to be the successor in the family and all the rights are given to them. This is the male child only who is expected to perform the last rites after the death of the mother or father and the girls are not supposed to do these rituals. So, if there is no male child in a family then the family curses itself and feels like they have done something wrong and this is the result of their sins.
Another tradition is that the male child is the one who owns the property of the parents and girls are considered to be "Paraya Dhan ". She is treated right from the birth as if she does not belong to this family but shall go away and be the part of the other family ,which is a universal truth. The people think that it is the male member of the family who will look after the parents and other elders when they grow old because the girl will not be staying with them and as per the traditions they are not supposed to be dependent on the daughters earnings and or her in- laws family. In addition to this another cause of concern is the menace of the dowry system in our society which contributes towards the serious problem being discussed. Not many parents want a girl child because they feel that their entire life`s earning will be required to marry their daughter when she is of the marriageable age.

Though the girls are in no way inferior in terms of education and earnings than the boys, but still this is the girl`s family which has to spend a lot of money in the name of dowry . Sometimes it is done by selling the property or taking loan from the banks or somewhere else which the family is not able to repay all through the life.The question has been asked a number of times that when marriage is considered as part of the two families coming together or getting in a relationship,  then why one family expects everything from the other family? Why do we have double standards that if I have a daughter then dowry is bad ,but if I have a son then dowry is alright? The people should answer this question and ensure whether it is male child or female child, both are equally important.In the name of showing the wealth, the extravagant shows should be stopped and marriage ceremony should be simple and a happy occasion for both the families. If this aspect is taken care of, you will observe a tremendous improvement in the sex ratio and there will be no need of any laws or legislation to be passed by the government because these are social issues and should be dealt with accordingly.

There is some important observation which all should know and try to understand. In the present era you come across many cases where the sons do not look after their parents when the parents need them the most despite the fact that the whole property is been inherited by them. The proof is that Rajasthan government was forced to enact a law in which there is a provision of some punishment, if the son/ sons do not look after the parents. I know of a case in which the parents did everything possible for their only son and the grand children. Not only that they had that so much confidence in the male members of the family that all property was transferred in the name of male members of the family well before the retirement of the father. Though the couple has daughters also but as the tradition is they were not entitled for the share in the property of the parents. Now when the couple has grown very old the male members who inherited the whole property have distanced themselves from the old couple but for the delight of the couple their daughters are not letting them feel alone and one of the daughters has done much more than what a son could have done without expecting anything in return. There are so many other cases where the daughters have looked after their own parents with empathy and done everything possible to make them happy and healthy.This is an example which should be an eye opener for those who still want the male child only.

 But things are changing for good now and there are cases where the couples who have single child who is a girl , still do not think of another child for the sake of having a male child but such people are  less in number.

So, if this severe problem is to be solved the government and the society will have to work together and the issue should be discussed and people to be made aware of the consequences. But nobody should get the impression that the male child is not important and everyone of them is not doing anything for their parents but the submission is that the girl child should not be ignored rather should be given all due regard and importance.It is because of them that there is human life on earth.