Post Aamir, Rajasthan for policy to save girl child

Jaipur - The Rajasthan government Friday announced it will frame a ‘girl policy' to check increasing number of female foeticide and infanticide cases.

The decision is seen as another impact of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan's debut TV show "Satyamev Jayate" and came two days after the star met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

The decision to come up with the ‘girl policy' was made at a meeting here Friday.

The meeting was presided over by Gehlot. Several NGOs, social activists and government officials discussed steps to prevent female foeticide and infanticide.

"The chief minister decided to form a specific policy to protect the girl child," said a senior officer.

He said: "The policy will have several provisions. These will be drafted in consultation with NGOs and social activists."

Gehlot had Wednesday assured Aamir Khan, whose episode on female foeticide has created a storm, that he will take up the issue of setting up a fast track court with the state chief justice.

In his show, Aamir Khan highlighted the story of a sting operation done seven years back by two Jaipur journalists to expose increasing female foeticide cases in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

The sting by Meena Sharma and Shripal Shakhawat had covered 140 doctors involved in sex determination tests and abortions. None of the doctors has been penalized.

Aamir Khan said in his show that he would appeal to the Rajasthan chief minister to get the cases against the erring doctors clubbed together and try them in a fast track court.

Sources said Rajasthan Chief Justice Arun Mishra had agreed to form a fast track court.

According to Census 2011, Rajasthan now has 883 girls between the ages of 0-6 for every 1,000 boys. The child sex ratio in 2001 was 909.