Lalitha Kumaramangalam to tackle female infanticide
Lalitha Kumaramangalam
Coimbatore: Lalitha Kumaramangalam is both happy and proud, and a bit challenged, at being appointed as chairperson of the National Commission for Women. The BJP leader hails from Salem, which is part of the western region of Tamil Nadu that has long been notorious for female infanticide and feticide.
“It’s sad that female infanticide is still prevalent in our society,” admitted Ms Kumaramangalam in a phone interview. “We must study the factors that lead to this social scourge.”
According to the national crime records bureau, Tamil Nadu had witnessed the second largest number of female infanticides (13) next only to Chandigarh’s 15 during the last year. Social scientists believe that not all infanticides (or feticides get reported in the police records.
The new chairperson of NCW appeared keen on addressing this brutal issue “in the most comprehensive and multi-pronged manner, including educating the people.”
“Spreading awareness on sanitation is my top priority,” said Ms Kumaramangalam, turning to another critical issue that affects the women, besides the elders and children in the Indian society, particularly the rural families. “The government is striving to create infrastructure facilities that are women-centric,” she said, emphasising that stepping up sanitation-including hygienic domestic and public toilets-would be a priority.
“Gender budgeting is another important subject that I would concentrate on in the Commission (NCW). We must ensure access for women in every developmental activity,” said Ms Kumaramangalam, a BJP national executive member.
She is the daughter of the late Mohan Kumaramangalam, the legendary minister in the Indira Gandhi government who died in a plane crash. Her brother Rangarajan Kumaramangalam was a minister in the Congress government of P.V. Narasimha Rao and the BJP-led government of A.B. Vajpayee. He died in August 2000.
( Source : dc )
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