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Editorial: The missing Tamilazchi Tamizhians constitute the finest men and women India have to offer. However, they have maintained vestiges of cruelty more sinister than the practice of Sati in the matter of female foeticide and infanticide. It is quite possible that the practice of female dowry arose as a result of reduction in the number of men in India due to constant warring and the genetic robustness of the female fetus. Historically, in the absence of genetic testing, infanticide was the only available option for discarding the female child. This heinous practice continues today in Tamil Nadu where families cannot afford an illegal ultrasound test. Affluent Tamilians can afford illegal test to determine the sex of the baby and discard it. Thus the act of having a family gets reduced to an economic activity instead of a union of two souls. As India becomes a stable country and males do not get consumed to hateful acts by fellow humans, the number of males have gone up. However, the practice of dowry remains stronger than ever. The families that commit female foeticide love their living daughters, however that passion is not extended to the fetus. This is already causing an alarming drop in the gender ratios. The root of these activities happen to be economical and social. One is the practice of dowry and the other is the practice of illegally passing over family property to the male heirs even if there happens to be a female heir that is entitled to part of the property. This creates a sense of entitlement and alienation among the community such that people are willing to end the life of their own daughters. The termination of the fetal life cannot be called an abortion as it is a selective process and discriminates against the female foetus. And terminating the life of a female infant is murder. Law enforcement in Tamil Nadu needs to step up accordingly. Social programs need to be introduced to reduce the stigma of a female child and encourage alternative means such as counseling or giving up the baby for adoption in case the family cannot cope up with the female child. Here are some ideas to prevent foeticide. - Free education for women upto college and even post graduate
education in government run institutions (Similar plans are being
implemented in many states in India) Links Fight against the inhuman foeticide and infanticide The scan of death - The loss of Usilampatti pennkutti Global perspective on gender based foeticide and infanticide Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department
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