Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday drew attention to the dismal sex ratio in the country, and appealed to Indians to stop female foeticide.
"Have we seen our sex ratio? Who is creating this imbalance in society? Not Almighty! I appeal to doctors not to kill the girl child," he said addressing the nation on its 68th Independence day.
He said: "I appeal to parents not to sacrifice the girl child."
The prime minister said generally parents want sons as they think they will take care of them in their old age. "But I know of families which had five sons and big houses but sent away their aged parents to old age homes."
"At the same time, I have seen families with only one daughter who has not married to take care of her parents," he said.
According to statistics, there has been a substantial fall in the sex ratio in the 0-4 years age group in several districts spread across nine states.
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