Mathura (UP), Jun 27 (PTI) The practice of widows being abandoned by their sons and relatives is a social evil and a blot on the country’s culture, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Monday and advocated their remarriage and economic independence.
Interacting with inmates of Krishna Kutir, a home for widows, in the temple town of Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, the president commended the effort to establish the facility but said, in his views, there should be no need for such shelter homes in society.
“There have been many examples wherein sons or family members of many women left them as destitute in Vrindavan and never came back to even enquire about their condition,” he said.
“This social evil is a blot on the culture of our country. The sooner this stigma is removed, the better,” he added.
He compared such treatment of widows to social evils like child marriage, sati and dowry.
“My view is that there should be no need for the construction of shelter homes like ‘Krishna Kutir’ in society. Instead, efforts should be made towards measures like remarriage, economic independence, share in family property, protection of social and moral rights of destitute women,” the president said.
Kovind also said that it has been seen that after the death of a woman’s husband, the attitude of not only that family but of the society changes towards her.
“We have to come forward and awaken the society to stop the neglect faced by widows. From time to time many saints and social reformers have made efforts to improve the difficult life of such despised mothers and sisters,” he said.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Swami Dayanand Saraswati got some success in their efforts but still much remains to be done in this area, he said.
“I also appeal to all the responsible citizens of the society that these mothers who have moved away from social life should be included in the mainstream of the society. Their contact with society should be increased. Their participation in Teej, other festivals and fairs should be encouraged,” he said.
The president said that such a large and important section of the society cannot be ignored.
“Together, we all have to raise social awareness towards these despised and neglected women. Social evils, religious beliefs and discrimination related to inheritance rights have to be removed. The problems of discrimination in the distribution of property and the denial of women’s rights over children will have to be addressed. Only then, these women will be able to live a life of self-respect and self-confidence,” he said.
“In our culture, women have been called Goddess. It has even been said ‘where women are respected, there the God resides’. But over a long period of time, many social evils have arisen in our society,” he said and appealed to responsible citizens to make efforts for including these women in the mainstream.
“The Constitution, apex court, UP government and scores of sensitive people are with them to ensure that they lead a respectable life,” he said.
He also said that owing to awareness and education the thinking now is changing.
The way Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed his government’s commitment towards the inmates of Krishna Kutir and the way it was constructed by the Union Women and Child Development Ministry, better days are ahead for them, the president said.
Earlier in the day, President Kovind and his wife Savita Kovind paid obeisance at the famed Bankey Bihari Temple in Vrindavan.
The president was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Adityanath.
Amid chanting of Vedic hymns, the dignitaries jointly performed the most auspicious “Dehri Pujan” at the temple, priest Gyanendra Kishor Goshwami said.
According to the priest, as a symbolic prayer for the welfare of the country, five earthen lamps were also lit by the president and others on the occasion. PTI COR NAV SMN
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