Jupally Breaks Taboo, Performs Puja With Widow
Keeping widows away from auspicious events is an inhumane social evil that must end: Krishna Rao
NALGONDA: Breaking a long-held social misconception, prohibition and excise minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Friday performed bhoomi puja along with a widow for an Indiramma house at Machinenipalli in Kollapur mandal of Mahbubnagar district.
The minister had arrived to perform the puja for the house sanctioned to Ram, son of widow Lakshmi Devamma. As Ram’s wife could not attend due to pregnancy and no other woman from the family was present, Krishna Rao asked Lakshmi Devamma to take part in the ceremony. When locals pointed out that she was a widow, he firmly countered them, saying such social evils and superstitions have no place in a progressive society.
Addressing the gathering, Krishna Rao said keeping widows away from auspicious events is an inhumane social evil that must end. Women who lose their husbands already endure emotional suffering, and further discrimination against them is unacceptable, he said. Such practices, he added, are blemishes on culture and hinder women’s economic empowerment.
He emphasised the need to create public awareness against superstitions and to encourage widows to participate in all auspicious occasions. Along with laws and welfare schemes, sustained awareness campaigns are essential to eliminate such beliefs from society, he said.
Upon learning that Ram’s family could not afford the basement construction for the Indiramma house, the minister instructed SERP officials to sanction a ₹1,00,000 loan to the beneficiary through SHGs.