Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
Picture of a girl child who attended my cursive writing classes at Borij Government Primary School is now doing engineering courses.
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.
A clarion call for one and all.
To give all girls a fair chance,
And inspire them in all circumstance.
Treatment of inequality,
A malice of our patriarchal society.
Two newborns, a girl and boy,
One brings despair, the other joy.
One brings hope, the other gets neglected,
In many homes she may be aborted.
She may be left crying in a dustbin,
Else charred to death doused in kerosene.
Two growing children brother and sister,
Where he wanders does not matter.
Of the two she may be brighter,
But her femininity makes her a prisoner.
The girl is a burden to many households,
Her marriage needs dowry else she may get sold.
Domestic chores ought to be her stronghold,
To live with her in-laws and get a foothold.
She must be fair and slim,
Lot of dowry she must bring.
She must be a subservient wife,
Work like a machine throughout life.
Her education and nutrition, gets least attention,
She is expected to bear multiple children.
She often becomes an object of recreation,
Trends that need strong condemnation.
Easy prey to human trafficking,
A trade universally flourishing.
Sordid tale of utter disparity,
She pays her price for abject poverty.
We aspire to be an egalitarian society,
Liberate ourselves from all notoriety.
Bestow justice and equality,
To all members of our female fraternity.
And therefore the clarion call,
Given by our Prime Minister as a protocol,
To steer the nation ahead in all aspects,
Giving ladies full honour and respect.
Women's education and empowerment,
A pan India campaign of the Government.
Major thrust on Women's health,
To embolden them to create wealth.
Ladies of today are surging ahead,
Capable of earning their butter and bread.
They are now commissioned officers,
Chancellors and Ministers amongst others.
In the Corporate world they are no less,
Step by step making progress,
No longer confined to stereotyped roles,
But chasing steeper and loftier goals.
May the world see success,
May all our dear sisters overcome distress,
May they be able to freely express
And never ever be unduly suppressed.