The reported incident of committing Sati by a 53 years old dalit woman Charan Shah in Mohaba district Uttar Pradesh is nothing but a national shame. But the imposition of a religious character on an act of suicide is more dangerous for the law of the land. Sati is illegal and the rural people continues to be exploited by such orthodox act in the name of religion. Charan Shah has committed suicide, compelled by miserable economic condition. A poor dalit woman like Charan Shah has no other way to leave the world after the death of her husband who was a TB patient for last 25 years. The self styled custodians of Hindu orthodoxy has covered up the incident of suicide by the label of medieval practice of Sati at the point of new millenium. This incident is an instance of how our society treats a widow. It is worse to live but better to leave the earth. This defect of society has been glorified by this custodian of Indian society. State could not escape its responsibility for the consequence. We should take the initiative to safeguard the social and economic security of rural society of the country, particularly in the northern belt. This should be our challenge for the new millenium.

22nd November, 1999.