We sometimes gloat over the fact that so many women of our country have got the title of Miss India. Then, it seems we have women, women all the way when we recall how women trounced men in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan during the assembly elections held towards the end of 2003 and these were women who became the Chief Ministers in these States.
This, however, is misleading. We cannot forget that thousands may be millions of women, all over India are being exploited daily in the form of eve-teasing, molestation, physical oppression, mental trauma, discrimination on several counts, etc.
This is how gender bias which is so deep-rooted in our society is being overtly and covertly goaded against the female population in our country. The fact regarding female feticide which has reduced the female ratio drastically in the country and in the Punjab below 800 per 1000 boys needs no emphasis. The most distressing is a mother’s bias against girls as compared to boys in the matter of education, giving pocket money, diet, allowing freedom, etc.
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If a mother behaves like this, her son will consider himself superior to his sister and will, in course of tune, show male chauvinism even to his mother and the daughter when she grows up and becomes mother will behave similarly to her daughters and thus the vicious circle will continue.