Punjab celebrates girl's Lohri to focus on female foeticide

FATEHGARH SAHIB: The staff and students of SGPC run  Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab on Saturday by celebrating Lohri of second daughter of  of the cOllege employee Harminderjit Singh Sonu to spread a message against female foeticide.

Fatehgarh sahib district, dominated by Sikhs, has recorded lowest male-female ratio in the country.

The function was organised with the efforts of  Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib principal Dr Gurmohan Singh Walia and students of Journalism and mass communication.

Dr Walia said that as  a result of the adverse male female ratio  in district Fatehgarh Sahib it is the need of the hour to change the mindset of the people who consider that only the birth of a male child calls for celebration. As per Dr Walia  "Charity begins at
home, as educationists it is our moral duty to raise our voice against the evil prevailing in the society" . He said that the celebration of Lohri of a girl child was itself a very positive step to change the mindset of the male child seeker people.

It is heart-rendering that a prosperous state like Punjab is facing adverse male-female ratio and Fatehgarh Sahib district has the lowest sex ratio. In the Lohri celebration at Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib College employee, the students and teachers participated in the event with great zeal and enthusiasm. 

Prof. Bikramjit Singh Sandhu of the college said that the main purpose of the celebration
was to make aware the general public about the consequences  of female foeticide so that this crime is routed out from the society.

People appreciated the noble cause that that the students were working on it. Officials of the college and teachers also presented their opinion and encouraged the student. As per Amanpreet Randhawa, Head of Journalism and Mass Communication Department of Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib, "Rome was not built in a day; hence the students of the department have decided to raise their voices against the evil of female foeticide from time to time".

"Killing the girl child is a sin and why should I become a killer", expressed Sonu , proud to be the father of two daughters. A first year student of BA said , "It is our social responsibility. The persistent efforts from our side would definitely trigger a change in the society."

Walia  is making all efforts to create awareness among the people about female foeticide.  With Dr Walia's efforts, the students of Journalism and Mass Communication Department of the college joined religious procession to spread their message against female foeticide on the culmination of Fatehgarh Sahib Shaheedi Jor Mela ,  on last week of December last
year.  The students joined the religious procession , which was taken out    from Gurudwara  Sri Fatehgarh Sahib to Gurudwara Jyoti Saroop in memory of the younger Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh- Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh and their great grand mother Mata Gujri .

They were arrying 'Hukamnama'(edict) of Shri Akal Takhat Sahib against female foeticide.   Dr Walia   also organized a candle light procession and the  girl students of the college had gone to village Jallowal of district Fatehgarh Sahib  to pay thanks to the village panchayat for their efforts in changing the male female ratio in favour of girls.