President exhorts women to fight social ills

President Pratibha Patil has appealed to women to realise their inner strength and fight flaws in the social system.

She was speaking at the release of the documentary Ran Raginincha Desh on Wednesday. The film, based on female freedom fighters and made by Ahilyarani Mahila Vikas va Shaikshanik Sanstha chairman, Nilima Tapasvi, was screened at the function. A book with the same title was also released.

Patil wondered why women, who were at the forefront during the freedom struggle and brought about positive social change in the country, cannot use the same fire in them to fight injustice today.

Her message was ‘realise your strength and move ahead’.
Expressing concern about the increasing difference in sex ratio, she said the girl child needs to be protected. Opportunities and conducive environment should be provided to them to succeed as engineers, doctors, police personnel, army personnel, administrators and industrialists.

Stating that education was the best means of empowering women, she appealed to Dalit women to lead a life of confidence and not consider themselves inferior. She said self-help groups should be supportive and provide finance to women wishing to start their own business.

Retired Supreme Court judge Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari said it was sad that women are still recognised as the weak sex. Film-maker Ashutosh Gowarikar was also present.