The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Jains hold rally against abortion

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Jains hold rally against abortion

Staff Reporter

Protest part of an initiative of Jain monk Rajyesh Suriswar

— Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

FOR A CAUSE: Women from the Jain community taking part in a rally organised to create awareness against abortion, on Thursday.

HYDERABAD: Calling for abolition of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971, and protesting against the reported proposal to amend and liberalise the abortion law, Jain community members took out a rally to Tank Bund on Thursday.

Holding posters and raising anti-abortion slogans, the Jains offered flowers and rice to the Hussainsagar lake in a symbolic gesture seeking peace for the departed souls of unborn kids. The rally later culminated in a meeting at Rotary Park.

Against MTP Act

The protest was a part of an initiative of a Jain monk Rajyesh Suriswar, who is on a nationwide tour to gather support against the MTP Act. The monk deplored the Government’s proposal to extend the cut-off time for abortions from 20 to 24 weeks, and urged to drop the proposal.

“Instead of making stringent laws and punish those who kill innocent kids, they are now planning to relax the law,” he said.

‘Stop dowry’

Jasraj Shrishrimal, one of the organisers, said that annually over 2.5 crore abortions take place in the country. He told the gathering that despite laws, loopholes make it ineffective and felt that foeticides could be curbed only if people stopped demanding and accepting dowry. Former Minister Pushpa Leela participated in the meeting.

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