AGRA: A family in Muzaffarnagar celebrated the birth of their second daughter with a procession, sweets and a welcome at home, turning the occasion into a public message against gender bias and female foeticide. The newborn was brought home from the hospital in a decorated vintage car carrying a banner that read “Beti hui hai”, while relatives danced to drums and neighbours joined the celebrations. The baby girl was born on April 8 to Sunil Yadav, 30, and his wife Neha, 25. The family organised a festive homecoming, decorated the house for the griha pravesh and laid the baby on rose petals during the ceremony. People from the neighbourhood and nearby areas also joined the event.
Sunil, who is in the property business, said girls are excelling in every field and should be given equal opportunities. “I want to educate her and see her rise to the position of an IAS or IPS officer. Through this, I want to send a message that it is wrong to consider daughters inferior and kill them before they come into this world,” he said .He added he wanted to ensure his daughter studied well and went far in life. “I will never let her lack anything.
My second daughter, Gungun, is three years old, and now we have welcomed another daughter into the family with the same happiness,” he said. The family said killing girl children or opting for abortion because of gender is a social evil that must end, and that every daughter deserves to live and be empowered. Their celebration drew praise from neighbours, many of whom joined the procession and welcome ceremony at the family’s home. Grandfather Bhuwan Mishra said the family wanted to make its joy visible to the area. “We are very happy. When we brought her home from the hospital, we performed a traditional house entry ceremony,” he said. He added, “We believe daughters can go far ahead of sons. In today’s time, girls are excelling in every field. With good values and proper education, a daughte
