Writers, poets vow to end discrimination against widows

Kazipet: The writers and poets here have vowed to end discrimination against widows. A work shop to discuss the issue of tigmatising widows and to explore ways and means to end the prejudice towards widows was held at Bala Vikasa Peoples Development Training Centre in Kazipet on Monday.

Nearly 30 writers and poets attended the workshop along with Wardhannapet MLA A Ramesh. The MLA asked the writers, poets and intellectuals to lend their support to the cause being espoused by Bala Vikasa, which has been taking up various programmes to help widows to live dignified lives in the society.

Ramesh has felt that there was a need to change the mindset of people at grassroots level to allow widow live a normal life after the death of her husband. The writers and poets should achieve this with their writings.

Noted writer and Warangal district sub-registrar Potlapalli Srinivas Rao felt the false and blind belief in age-old customs has been making life troublesome for widows. Having faith in old customs was not wrong but it should be done with certain rationale.

Another writer Vallampatla Nageshwar said some persons with selfish ideas have imposed unwanted customs that made women, who should be honoured, to live a miserable life when they lose their life partners.

He promised to work for the cause of widows and educate people in rural and urban areas. Bala Vikasa executive director S Showry Reddy explained the activities of the organisation towards emancipation of widows. For the past 10 years various programmes were being held to support nearly 15,000 widows. Writers Ch Sudharshan, K Harinath, VP Chandan Rao, Jwalitha Bandi Usha and others were present.