The report on the sufferings of trafficked women, especially from eastern India, is heart-wrenching (“Ground Zero” page, “The ‘outsiders’ of Haryana”, November 17). It reminded me of a similar report on the plight of Adivasi girls and women at Araku Valley, near Visakhapatnam. Poverty and a lack of education and employment opportunities are the root causes for trafficking. It appears that the Prime Minister flagship slogan ‘Beti bachao, beti padhao’ (Save girl, educate girl) is a hollow one especially when one considers that the epicentre of trafficking, in Nuh, Haryana, is about 60 km from New Delhi. One cannot help think about how even a partial amount of the ₹2,989 crore spent on the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Gujarat could have been usefully spent to alleviate the suffering of such victims. It is also a pity that it is only an NGO or two that is contributing its mite to help these women.
A. Jainulabdeen,
Chennai
