Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Saving the girl child” (August 3). Female foeticide has a deep root in our prejudices against women. According to Hindu myth, a deceased person’s soul is liberated only when his/her son performs last rites. Unfortunately, this myth has influenced the minds of most Indian couples.
The desire to have a male child, to obtain a ticket to haven, is still prevalent in India. This desire results in a high birth rate as well as in annihilation of a girl child. The latter becomes popular since rearing a child exerts monetary and time pressure on most parents.
Moreover, parents fear the birth of a female child as she might cost them a fortune in the form of dowry to find a suitable boy for her. So, apart from legal recourse, prejudices against women need to be wiped out.