New Delhi, August 06: ‘Give one girl away and take another’. The age-old bartering custom still thrives in Haryana which has a deep-rooted preference for sons, thanks to the shrinking male-female ratio and demand for young brides in the state.
The dwindling sex-ratio, which has made it very difficult for men to find brides locally, has led to a new trend called ‘Atta Batta’, which means a girl will be married in exchange of another girl for her brother, say local social activists.
“‘Atta Batta’ is a new cruel dimension and result of deeply skewed sex ratio in Haryana. Due to the massive shortage of young brides, this trend is on increase in many communities,” says Shakuntala Jhakhar, General Secretary, All India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA), a NGO.
–PTI