Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has a piece of advice for the young women: avoid live-in relationships. Instead, they should focus on meaningful goals rather than falling for “such traps”.
The octogenarian went on to caution them about the perils of live-in.
“If you want to see the consequences of live-in relationships, visit an orphanage. You will find 15- to 20-year-old girls standing in line, each holding a one-year-old child,” the governor said Tuesday at the convocation ceremony of Jananayak Chandrashekhar University in Ballia.
“They (men) lure young women to hotels, win their trust, have children with them, and then abandon them. These are not our values, yet such things are happening.”
Anandiben’s comments come in the backdrop of such relationships increasingly coming under scanner in recent times. In July, actor Disha Patani’s sister Khusboo was in the news after she had called out religious orator Aniruddhacharya’s misogynistic remark on women and live-in relationships.
Similarly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Uttarakhand implemented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in January making it compulsory to register all live-in relationships. This is irrespective of whether the couples are residents of Uttarakhand, or not.
At Tuesday’s convocation, Anandiben asserted that it was society’s collective responsibility to protect girls, yet such unfortunate incidents continue to occur.
”I would advise students not to enter into live-in relationships. I have seen many cases where people in such relationships commit crimes and then flee,” the governor said, adding that women often face violence and mental harassment in these situations.
She emphasised that society must learn from such incidents and that the younger generation should understand live-in relationships are neither morally right nor safe.
Anandiben recalled that a judge explained to her the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, noting that even minors are sometimes involved in such cases, which makes the issue even more serious. “That is why I am giving this instruction not to engage in live-in relationships,” she contended.
Cautioning students against “tempting distractions,” she said, “Dedicate your life to noble goals. Neither your parents nor your in-laws will stand by you later, so study sincerely.”
The Uttar Pradesh governor also expressed displeasure over the low attendance at the university, stressing that student attendance must reach at least 75 per cent. “If it doesn’t, I will cancel the examinations,” she warned. Anandiben further raised concern over reports of liquor and drug use in hostel areas, calling the situation “serious and alarming”.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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