New wedding vow: No pre-natal test

The campaign against pre-natal sex determination is no longer a sarkari affair only. Hindu and Muslim priests are joining the effort to sensitise people against the crime.

The campaign against pre-natal sex determination is no longer a sarkari affair only. Hindu and Muslim priests are joining the effort to sensitise people against the crime.

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A promise to never indulge in this illegal practice will soon be part of marriage vows — right at the wedding venue — and will be stated as an undertaking in marriage certificates as well.

“In Hindu marriages, couples are supposed to exchange seven vows pledging their support to each other. We want to add another vow saying that they themselves will not go in for such practice and will not succumb to family pressure in the matter,” said GS Meena, deputy commissioner of the west district.

“A total of 308 pandits and maulvis have pledged their support to the campaign. At the time of registering marriages too, the certificates we are issuing now asks the couple to give an undertaking that they will do their bit in saving the girl child and not pressurise each other for sex selection or sex determination tests,” he added.

The campaign, which will soon be started in the south district, will hopefully lead to a better sex ratio in Delhi, which has a population of 1.68 crore — with 89.76 lakh males and 77.76 females — and a sex ratio of 866 women per 1,000 men.