Modi pitches against female foeticide

Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly pitched for ending the practice of female foeticide on Friday.

Adopting a Jayapur village in his Lok Sabha constituency, he urged villagers to give up dependence on governments for solving their problems.

Touching on a host of issues from potholed roads to female foeticide and crumbling social structure, he regretted that condition of villages have not improved in the last 60 years and blamed policies formulated in Delhi and Lucknow for it.

He said “big people” in the last 60 years made such big talk that these could not be executed on ground. “I, a small man, will bring about big things through my small talk.”

Taking note of the presence of large number of women among the crowd, Modi condemned the practice of female foeticide and said “those who look upon the girl child as a liability should ponder as to how mankind will survive if we are left in a world with no women”.

“If we kill girl child in the mother’s womb, then what will happen to the world. If only 800 girls are born against 1000 boys, then 200 boys will remain unmarried. Will government do this job?,” he said addressing villagers as he asked them not to depend on government for everything.

“Our villagers need to give up the notion that it is the government that is the doer and they are only beneficiaries. The Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana is an effort in that direction. It aims to empower villagers and provide them with opportunities to exercise these choices”, he said adopting the village under the MPs Model Village scheme.

“I am confident that our villagers have the ability to shape their own destiny through their own entrepreneurial skills and hard work”, Modi said, evoking applause from residents of the village who had assembled at the ground several hours before his arrival.

On reaching Varanasi, Modi declared, “I have a number of plans for the development of Varanasi, but will talk less about them. I will try to implement your suggestions”.

At the very outset, Modi said, “I am here today and tomorrow. I will meet a lot of people and talk to them. I am grateful to you for choosing me as your representative. I will always be at your service and develop this region with all my heart and soul”.  

Taking on the Akhilesh Yadav-led UP government, the Modi said: “We should rise above politics and help in financial growth of the region.” 

He also announced Rs 2,375 crore package to develop 16 cooperative banks lying defunct.

Addressing weavers, Modi said they had an assured market. “Your design, your work, your service – this is a great legacy we have here. Every household is a market for Banarasi saree.  

“There is not even a single mother who does not dream of gifting her daughter a Banarasi saree on her wedding. There is no woman, no matter how poor or illiterate, across India who has not heard of Banarasi saree.”

“Money alone won’t help weavers, but needs vision and the will. Weavers represent the Ganga-Jamuni tradition. Textile sector gives employment to poorest of the poor. All sections of society are integrated in this sector.”

Textile is the second largest job generating sector of the country after agriculture.

He acknowledged that Varanasi had a very special place in his heart, adding “I have come here to meet my own people.”