CHANDIGARH: Justice Ashok Bhan, Judge Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority on Saturday stressed the need for change in the mindset of the people for empowerment of women and added that mere lip service to refer the women as "Durga" would not serve the purpose of their empowerment.

Justice Bhan was inaugurating a summit on women empowerment organised by Haryana State Legal Services Authority and Chandigarh Legal Services Authority, here on Saturday.

While expressing his serious concern on the issue of female foeticide, he questioned how human race would go on if we killed females in the womb.

While reminding that the Preamble of the Constitution of India has given the women equality and has mentioned that there would be no discrimination on gender, religion, caste, creed or colour, he questioned " can we keep 50 per cent of the total population deprived of their basic rights".

Stressing on the social, political and economic rights to the women? He said, let women be equal partners and this aspect can be achieved through education and bringing about a change in the mind set of the people. The situation in Haryana is changing, he added.

Bhan pointed out that  the women was also being discriminated on the issue of  right to property  thus rendering her destitute. He said that a law has been enforced to give equal share to women in property and added that  law would only help them, but  the change in society would come with a change in mind set of the people.

The women, who constituted 50 per cent of the society, should not be deprived of their political, social and economic rights, he added.

Justice J.S.Khehar, Judge Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Chandigarh Legal Services Authority said that  in our culture, killing a foetus has been considered as a murder as we say, "Bhrun Hatya", but in English language it has got the word "foeticide", similar to "pesticide", insecticide" and "wormicide".

 He therefore,  urged the people to introspect our culture and keep the women in high esteem. He said that although there were many laws to protect the women yet it would be upto them to get these enforced effectively.

Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, Judge Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman of Haryana State Legal Services Authority (HSLSA), who presided over the summit,  described the issue of women empowerment as of global concern and added that Indian Courts had contributed to women empowerment through their judgements. He said that the action plan of HSLSA aimed at creating legal literacy at grassroot level. The main issue of concern was to provide safety to women and right to equality.

However she added that the State of women was much better in India as compared to many other countries.

Earlier Justice Bhan lit a traditional lamp to inaugurate the summit.  

Others present on the occasion included a number of lawyers, judicial officers and President, Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, Anmol Rattan Sidhu.