President Droupadi Murmu interacts with docs, ASHA workers, ANMs on Haryana's 'Beti Bachao' campaign

Chandigarh: President Droupadi Murmu was all praise for the daughters of Haryana for presenting the best examples of women empowerment for the entire country.

The President, who is on a two-day tour in Haryana, on Wednesday interacted directly with the doctors, ASHA workers, and ANMs associated with the state's revolutionary Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign.

The President also interacted with women sportspersons of the state during a programme organised at Haryana Raj Bhavan, Chandigarh on Wednesday. Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar graced the occasion.

The President said that daughters are the embodiment of power. Every family should cooperate in taking daughters forward in every field so that they become empowered and continue to increase their contribution in every field. The way the daughters of Haryana have raised the pride of their families and state on the global stage in the field of sports is one of the best examples of women empowerment, the President added.

"If men and women walk together, then the family, society and country will progress. However, women face more challenges in their life than men, so it is the responsibility of the family, society and the government to nurture and empower the girl child," the President said.

She praised the Governor and the Chief Minister for the successful implementation of the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign in Haryana and hoped that Haryana will continue to boost the morale of the daughters of the state by taking such revolutionary steps.

While interacting with the ASHA workers, doctors and sportspersons, the President said that she feels happy to share experiences with them.

While appreciating Haryana for making Beti Bachao Beti Padhao a success, the President said that the state government had done a commendable job in saving the lives of every girl by spreading awareness about female foeticide at the grassroots level. Sharing his experience related to the implementation of the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign and the difficulties faced during this, a doctor apprised the President that in the year 2015, the Prime Minister had started this campaign from Panipat and later Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had formed a separate cell for the successful implementation of this campaign at the grassroots level.

He further shared that it is only because of the stringent steps taken by the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government against the gender determination tests that such illegal activities have been curbed to a larger extent. 'Manohar Sarkar' did what nobody ever thought of doing, the doctor said.

Echoing the same sentiments, another doctor said that earlier no strict action was taken on the ultrasound centres which conducted gender determination tests, but because of the stringent steps taken by the Chief Minister, for the first time, people conducting gender determination in Jhajjar were arrested.

Similarly, abortions done through midwives in the villages have also stopped after strict action was ensured against them. Sharing her experience, an ASHA worker told the President how she had been associated with the campaign since 2015 and has remained a part of 19 sex determination raids conducted across the state.

The President also interacted during which mountaineer Anita Kundu from Hisar district, who hoisted the Tricolour three times on Mount Everest and the highest peaks of the seven continents, shared her life experiences. Similarly, Pooja Sihag and Suchika also shared their success stories.