Independence Day Special: India Extreme female foeticide

Feminine divinity is omnipresent in India. Depictions of Sita, Radha, Durga, Laksmi and Kali range from mounds of mud, and wood carvings to paintings, bronze statues, and poetic verse. The goddess is the centre of sacred festivals, and cities adorn themselves to win her favour. Conversely, female foeticide in India has acquired almost genocidal proportions. Sex-selective abortion has grown into a Rs. 1000 crore industry, and India’s sex ratio is skewed to the point of 940 females for every 1000 males.