Chief Minister of Bihar Jitan Ram Manjhi on 20 July claimed rich families were encouraging female foeticide. The Poor are God-fearing believe children are gifts of God, said Manjhi while speaking at a political conclave on ‘No children born to die’. The CM said those influenced by the western civilization were responsible for female foeticide. Illiterate people were more conscious about saving children. Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, president of Bihar chapter of Indian Medical Association, in his keynote address on ‘Bihar – state of newborn and child survival’, said Bihar was at the 21st position out of 23 states covered in Indian Human Development report of the Planning Commission.
Meanwhile, in a statement filed in the apex court, the NIMC on 17 July alleged that in most cases, the state authorities were hand-in-glove with clinics engaged in this lucrative business. Worried about the skewed sex ratio in the country, the Supreme Court has sought detailed affidavits from all states and the Centre on steps taken by them to curb female foeticide.