The much awaited programme Satyamev Jayate has started on a grand note to an ode to motherhood. Satyamev Jayate is a reality show that throws focus on lives of the people, their pains, problems, hurdles and how bravely they fought them.

Started in multiple languages, Satyamev Jayate was successful in dragging lakhs of people to television screens sharp at 11 AM on Sunday.

The first episode of Satyamev Jayate began with Aamir Khan briefing the greatness of mother. And the episode was all about female foeticide. Aamir Khan told the fellow countrymen that ‘ a man is responsible for a birth of female and a woman has no role in it.’ Before Aamir Khan went into the statistics and how this female infanticide began in India, he spoke to three mothers who faced countless series of problems for carrying female foetuses.

Aamisha, an average mother from Gujarat was the first woman who came to the reality show—Satyamev Jayate to share her feelings of motherhood with Aamir Khan. Married in December 2000, Amisha had to undergo abortions six times within eight years. She said she was taken to a hospital, given an injection and by the time she opened her eyes..she lost her baby in the stomach. She said doctors talk in code language to tell the family on sex determination. If it was a boy they would say Jai Shree Krishna and Jai Mata Di if a girl. Last time when she was conceived, she wanted to save the child, and went to her parent’s home where she gave birth to a baby girl. Her in laws later took her and her daughter to home. She was ill-treated and kicked out of home and she was not given her daughter. She at last took the help of a lawyer to get her daughter and now the case is in the court.

The second mother who came to the show was Parveen Khan from Madhya Pradesh who was married in 1994. She was ill-treated for giving birth to two girls. She was even attacked brutally one day by her husband. With the help of doctors, she was saved. She said she now completed her B.A, got a good job and even taking care of her family.

The show then aired a few bytes of some people who spoke on reasons behind female foeticide. Many were of the opinion that illiterate and rural people are indulging in crimes. Negating these opinions, the show introduced Dr. Mitu Khurana who was also a victim of female foeticide. Mitu faced n number of problems for denying ultra sound test when she was conceived. She gave birth to twin baby girls. Dr. Mitu Khurana approached the court over the bad treatment she received. The case is now in the court.

Aamir Khan later introduced a researcher, Rambabu. He has said that even urban people, educated ones indulge in female foeticides. Even chartered accountant and IAS officers also resort to such crimes.

Later who spoke on this issue was Dr. Sailaja who had been practicing in a small village in Rajasthan. She said adivasis never showed any discrimination between boy and a girl. In fact, she said adivasis believe that girl is a sign of fortune.

Aamir Khan has said that learned and educated people should learn from adivasis, who treat boy and girl equally.

How did female foeticide begin?

Dr. Puneet who spoke on the show has told Aamir Khan as to how female foeticide had begun in India. It was in 1970 that the message of population control was wide spread by the authorities. A few doctors were trained at government hospitals on abortions. Those doctors trained in abortions had actually began to play the role of family advisors.

They have not only advised family planning but allegedly asked parents to eliminate if a girl was born. Although the Government soon asked hospitals to stop this act, the bullet from the gun had been shot already! And the trained doctors started practicing this heinous act at private clinics. This became a good business to them and in 1990 ultra sound machines came into existence that could determine sex within a few minutes. This not only boosted the business of gynaecologists who allegedly determined the sex and later eliminated the girl babies but also the manufacturers of ultra sound machines.

Dr. Puneet said India should implement what Korea implemented a few years ago in their country in order to put a check to the same. Korea Government cracked its whip against all those doctors removing foetuses. The doctors were kept in jails and their licences cancelled. The problem of female foeticide came to an end within a year.

Dr. Puneet has also said that all the doctors who did abortions in India should be kept in Tihar jail. Even women doctors are also involved in this crime, he added.

When Aamir Khan asked as to how many doctors’ licences were cancelled by Medical Council of India (MCI), Dr. Puneet said that not even one licence was cancelled over the same.

Later two journalists—Mr. Sheikawat and Meena spoke to Aamir Khan on their sting operation seven years ago, which was on female foeticide. The footage revealed many doctors who were allegedly ready to do abortions. The case is now in different courts since many doctors are involved in this and unfortunately even arrest warrants were issued on the journalists.

Satyamev Jayate team went to a group of unmarried men in a village in Haryana. They told that were not married since there were hardly any brides available. And they blame female foeticide for their unmarried status. That’s in fact true; elimination of girls would only result in an imbalanced sex ratio.

Aamir Khan called upon everyone to realize the importance of women. He has asked people to grow from within and put a check to this problem. The show received good response. It’s sure that Satyamev Jayate would have an impact on a large number of people.