Female foeticide a matter of shame: PM Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: On the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today described female foeticide as a "matter of deep shame" and asked the people to pledge to end gender-based discrimination and create an atmosphere of equality for girls.

He invited people to share on 'MyGov' website their ideas on 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao', a programme he is laying emphasis on.

"On International Day of the Girl Child we celebrate the achievements of our daughters. From the classroom to sports, they shine everywhere," Modi tweeted.

"Today let us pledge to create an atmosphere of equality for the girl child. There is no question of any discrimination based on gender," he added.

Describing female foeticide as "a matter of deep shame and a cause of great concern", he said, "Let's work together to remove this menace from society."

Female foeticide is a major problem in a number of states of India, which skews the ratio between girls and boys.

According to the latest Census 2011, the overall sex ratio in India is 940 females per 1000 males.