President celebrates 'Rakshabandhan'

NEW DELHI: Observing that the festival of 'Rakshabandhan' symbolises the spirit of protection, President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday called upon the countrymen to help out the under-privileged, specially the girl child in rural areas and urban slums.

Celebrating the festival with children from across the country, Patil said, "This festival is unique in the world. It symbolises the spirit of protection and celebrates the eternal bond between sister and brother."

I would like this festival to be known as a time when all of us who are well off in society and who have had the privilege of education to build an awareness that we as a society must also take responsibilities for the well-being of the underprivileged," she said.

The girls, among the children included visually impaired as well as HIV positive, tied Rakhis on the President, who in turn tied Rakhis on the boys.

"I am happy that children in the true spirit of Rakshabandhan have come from the militancy affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, children who have lost their parents in communal riots as well as those who are Thalasemic," the President said.

The children, in their colourful native dresses, also interacted with Patil who inquired about their well-being.

The President, seeking special focus on the plight of the girl child said, "It is through education that the girl child in rural areas and urban slums can look forward to a better, secure and self-reliant future".

"I would also like to emphasize that every effort should be made to prevent practices, which have an adverse impact on the male-female population balance," Patil added.

"The girl child has as much rights as a male child and should be looked upon as equal if not better than a male child," she said.