Uttarakhand Women And Child Welfare Minister Did A 25 Km ‘Kanwar Yatra’ To “End Gender Inequality”. How’s That Going To Help?
From victim blaming to saying one should enjoy rape when it’s inevitable to wanting roads as smooth as Katrina Kaif’s cheeks, we’ve heard Indian politicians making some truly absurd remarks about our entire gender and our problems. Now, one would think that a female minister from the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare would do things differently but we couldn’t be more wrong. There’s yet another absurd idea and remark made by Uttarakhand Minister of Women and Child Welfare, Rekha Arya, that has us going – hain?
The Uttarakhand Minister announced a campaign to improve the sex ratio in the country while clubbing it with the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhaoi campaign, Kanwar Yatra as well was Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Under this campaign, the Women and Child Welfare Minister, Rekha Arya, asked her department and Anganwadi workers to click a picture while performing ‘jalabhishek’ at a Shiva temple and share it in order to improve the sex ratio. She also urged people to take the pledge “mujhe bhi janm lene do, shiv ke maah me shakti ka sankalp” which means – allow me to be born and take the pledge of shakti in the month of Lord Shiva. Rekha Arya asked the officials to send these pictures on the department email ids and official Whatsapp groups. She also issued an official letter regarding the same.
"मुझे भी जन्म लेने दो,शिव के माह में शक्ति का संकल्प"
श्री @narendramodi जी द्वारा आजादी के #अमृत_महोत्सव में लिये गए संकल्प बेटी बचाओ-बेटी पढ़ाओ अभियान को और अधिक मजबूत करने के लिए मेरे द्वारा लिया गया संकल्प!
कृपया बेटियों से उनके जन्म का हक ना छीनें @smritiirani @pushkardhami pic.twitter.com/QCEUmEw4y6— Rekha Arya (@rekhaaryaoffice) July 20, 2022
I have so many questions but let’s just begin with the one that all of us are thinking about. How the hell is a picture of jalabhishek going to help in improving the sex ratio of Uttarakhand. FYI, in 2021 the Niti Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals India Index declared Uttarakhand as the worst performing state in India with regard to the sex ratio at birth. The state has a sex ratio of 840 as compared to the national average of 899 girls for every 1000 boys. This led to an outrage on social media and the campaign started by the Minister of Women and Child Welfare, Rekha Arya, was termed propaganda. She was also accused of using religion to promote a government programme by the opposition.
On the other hand, the Uttarakhand Minister has clarified that the campaign is not mandatory and officials can voluntarily participate in the programme and no action will be taken against anyone who does not participate in it. She further claimed that the political party raising the issue against her campaign has never done anything for the daughters of the country or tried to convey a good message to society. But Rekha Arya ji, you completely missed the point here. What good is jalabhishek going to do for the daughters of the nation except for making government officials perform a religious custom?
Having said that the Women and Child Welfare Minister of Uttarakhand is currently undertaking a 25 km Kanwar Yatra to “end gender inequality”.
आज "मुझे भी जन्म लेने दो,शिव के माह में शक्ति का संकल्प" कांवड़ यात्रा के तहत हरिद्वार हर की पौड़ी से संत महात्माओं के आशीर्वाद के साथ लैंगिक असमानता को समाप्त करने को लेकर 25 किलोमीटर की पैदल कांवड़ यात्रा कर रही हूं।#betibachaobetipadhao pic.twitter.com/Q1BLBu0g0U
— Rekha Arya (@rekhaaryaoffice) July 26, 2022
Also Read: 8 Cringeworthy Statements Made By Indian Politicians In 2021 That Made Us Wonder Why We Elected Them
No offence but TF is happening here? Can we please get actual leaders instead of religious leaders to run the country and look into the welfare of women and children? I’m all for being religious but I don’t see how a religious campaign is going to put an end to gender inequality and fix the sex ratio. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below.
