I am extremely enthused by the passage of the Women's reservation bill in the Upper House. Changes, especially the ones more radical, are always difficult to bring about. The incumbent government has shown great character (and i do believe that there is a foreign hand in this) in pushing this through, and that leaves a good feeling. I do hope that they do have it in themselves to take it through to the very end, as there are sterner tests ahead. Be as it may, I have already started dreaming of the benefits.
For one, our leaders from the darker sex, have time and again demonstrated the proclivity of reliving their childhood, as enfant terrible. Tearing up papers, throwing 'whatever they can lay their hands on', exchanging un-pleasantries, is perhaps a natural retro. This bill, if passed, could change all that, for i believe that 33 women are suffice to tame the other 67 (In our country, most mothers anyways have the necessary experience of managing male multiples.). I hope to see a safer and saner law making institution.
Whilst i am not a great fan for reservations as a policy, i must acknowledge, that the vast divides that characterise our polity (rich-poor, hindu-muslim/other religions, man-woman, Brahmins-others, north-south, boy child – girl child, et al) perhaps necessitate such movements (why can't the reservations be for a specified period, say 20 years, within which period the stated govt objectives should be achieved?). I do believe that the women's seats reservation will encourage a lot of women to come forward and participate in positive engagements which are beyond their family and households. Right now, the examples are too few and far between. More importantly, it will force the male political bastions, to open up, to receive the aspiring women as individuals and not merely sari-clad addendums. Over a period of time, it may even metamorphose men into better human beings, as they learn to deal with their insecurities arising from accosting confident and beautiful women.
It remains to be seen whether women will get their rightful place in Parliament or not. Nevertheless, the beauty of the dreams has started to linger. For the people who think of India as their home, its perhaps time that they let the spirited homemakers, run the country.
I was excited too until I read a few articles about it and am not too sure now...the one thing that left me quite disillusioned with it is that the reservations will be revolving, so that means that there is no incentive for the woman elected to look after the constituency since in any case, she cannot stand from there again. Considering that already MPs don't give a shit about their constituencies, this will only make even the few who do, think twice about it and succumb to the lure of just having a good time at the janata's expense!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Ashish, thanks for applauding the cause of women !Isn't it a shame however, that we still need to make reservations for every supposed downtrodden sect in the society .What then have we achieved after centuries of evolution, we call ourselves a democratic progressive cultured society , what a shame indeed!
ReplyDeleteA thought also for the above pondering.. wouldn't you think that people would take pride in honouring their name and election if nothing else and prove it through conscientious honourable intent and deeds instead of cruising along just because they could not re- represent the constituency ...where are we , what primitve subverted thought ..