PM adds pride in girls to Beti Bachao campaign

Concerned over the dwindling sex ratio, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday pitched for a special campaign to save the girl child through a social media campaign. Speaking on Mann Ki Baat programme on radio, the Prime Minister also spoke at length about social security and developmental schemes, and the success of International Yoga Day celebrations on June 21.

Asking parents to post “selfies with your daughter,” the PM mentioned efforts taken by the sarpanch of Haryana’s Bibipur village, Sunil Jaglan, who had started the #Selfie with Daughter competition.  The PM said that it was key to promoting the Government’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign.

Modi said that the declining sex ratio in 100 districts of the country, particularly in Haryana, was a cause of serious concern. “In Haryana, the number of girls is lesser than that of boys. Across the country, there are about 100 districts where the situation is worrisome. In Haryana, the situation is more serious,” Modi said.

“It gives pleasure that in the same Haryana, a Sarpanch of a small village can give such a dimension to the Beti Bachao programme. It raises new hopes. That is why I appreciate this initiative.  But it also gives me an inspiration and that is why I urge you to click pictures with your daughters and post those on #selfiewithdaughter,” Modi said. He said those posting the pictures should also write a tagline, in any language, that strengthens the Beti Bachao, Beti Padao initiative. 

On the Swachchh Bharat campaign the PM expressed satisfaction over construction of toilets in all Government schools in the country. “I had said that we will complete this task by next Independence Day. To say that the work that could not be done in 60 years will be completed in one year requires a lot of courage as almost 4.5 lakh toilets had to be built. But today I can say with satisfaction that, while  Independence Day is still some time away, the work to construct toilets in all schools has almost been completed, although the task is not finished yet,” Modi said.

Referring to the recently-launched social security schemes Modi said: “In India, very little work has been done in terms of social security but through these three schemes, we are taking a big jump.” To take the initiative forward, he suggested that on the upcoming Raksha Bandhan, boys should “gift” these policies to their sisters and even their maids and labourers. 

Elated with the success of the first International Yoga Day that was celebrated across the world on June 21, Modi said this demonstrates that the “Sun never sets on yoga”. “My dear countrymen, you have made me the Prime Minister but the human being in me sometimes gets lost in you all, leaving aside the post I am holding. The Yoga Day on June 21 got me involved in the same way,” he said. Modi asked IT professionals to create an online yoga activity so that more awareness is created about it as also a database of teachers of this field.

“There should be a beginning somewhere. This will also become a new power. I see the recent events from another perspective also. We have seen how a working Government, a running Government can achieve results once targets are set. We should not forget that a year ago, there was despondency all around. Only one voice was heard -- ‘nothing is happening’,” he said. “Now imagine. Ayush is a small department in the Government to which nobody paid any attention earlier.... But on Yoga Day, it led and organised such a big event. So, if a target is fixed, even a small unit can do big things,” he said.

However, former Union Health Minister and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad dismissed Modi’s criticism that not much work had been done by the Ministry of Ayush in the past, saying the PM had not done enough research before making such a remark. “I used to believe the Prime Minister speaks after doing a lot of research. But I found his research to be zero. Under the UPA Government, the Ministry of Ayush did maximum work and also got its new building constructed,” Azad said while giving a list of achievements under Ayush during his tenure as Health Minister.