People need to change their mindset towards women: Meira Kumar

Against the backdrop of the Delhi gangrape, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar asked people to change their mindset towards women and wondered whether they are prepared to accept a rape victim as a daughter-in-law.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Moortidevi Award for 2011, Kumar asked the people to ensure that their anger over the Sunday's incident does not turn into violence.

"People need to change their mindset towards women. Is our society prepared to accept a rape victim as a daughter-in-law?" she asked.

On the ongoing protests in the capital after the gangrape, she said, "People should get angry (over such incidents). But they should ensure that their anger does not turn into violence."

The Speaker also said the intellectual class is faced with a challenge to restore values of a woman in the society.

"The intellectual class is faced with a challenge to restore the values of women in the society. Women have to face various forms of violence and injustice both inside their house and outside it," she said.

Kumar also highlighted several other issues being faced by women such as dowry, female foeticide and gender-based discrimination in the public.

"Several times girls names are not mentioned in the ration card lists as the family fear that they may ask for share in the property after marriage. We as a society need to over such wide-spread discrimination against women," she added.

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