In the age of aggressive feminism and equality, why are we still debating about the reservation issue?
A tweet on Womens’ day read– “Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm over Women’s Reservation Bill – isn’t it ironic, this on Women’s day?” And this got me thinking- so what’s the big deal about it? And I refer here both to the parliament as well as the bill. Politicians stomping out of and disrupting the parliament is as common as swine flu cases these days and fights over bills and propositions can be dated back to the prehistoric era.
So what is it about the women issue that has got everyone talking? Well, for one, this only goes on to emphasize how everything about women, from nudity to reservation, tends to get over-hyped in this country.
And while media attention can sometimes bring about common good to our sex, it can be equally disgraceful and demeaning at others. However, all that endless feminist debate apart, my question is that why do we need the reservation at all?
We have had enough of the history of how women have forever been suppressed and need the upliftment etc. But are we sure that providing a few seats in the parliament is the correct need analysis or an egalitarian cure? I’m not so sure.
Lets see how fair this bill will be for the fairer sex. For one, there will be more women MPs occupying the hot seats, and given the well proven things like commitment levels being high amongst women will certainly do our governance a lot of good. Beyond that- I really can see little logic to it, (except ofcourse that it will create a great vote-bank.)
If we really want more female voices in the parliament, then is just labeling some chairs as “for women” the solution? If yes, then we should be prepared to see wives of politicians, and women with criminal cases and some more with caste politics (much like our male counterparts) hammering their way into the parliament. My contention is that how does gender alone entitle you to power?
Instead, it should be you, your education, your intellect and your good sense that should make you deserve the seat, things you can control, things that differentiate you from others, and not something like gender which is beyond everyone’s control. If we want to see more women representation, lets make our women capable, lets make the path to that place a bit easier. Instead of just putting women in the parliament, lets make women reach there on the strength of their own capability.
Come to think of it- lets see who are the most respected women politicians that we have today or have had? Sonia Gandhi, Sheila Dikshit, Ambika Soni, Priya Dutt, Mamata Banerjee, Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Agatha Sangma – apart from the respect and recognition (even though highly regional in some cases) the other thing that is common between these women is that they are all well educated people, who hold their positions thanks to their merit and have struggled to make a mark for themselves.
Yes, like in any other profession, parentage has had its role to play. But then , it is not just that which has made these women respected. And they indeed have done tremendous good in areas it mattered. On the other hand, we also have women who lay claim to power on the basis of dirty caste wars and ugly gender politics, and well, we pretty much know if sane people respect or look upto that sort.
Yes, Im totally of the view that we should have more female representation- everywhere and not just in politics alone, but we should start at the bottom and not at the top. We should provide the women of this country with education, the security, the assurance and the confidence it takes to scale up the ladder.
Instead of making them greedy and uneducated and easily made politicians lets give them safe roads and egalitarian education. Instead of giving them a seat, lets give them the road to reach that seat.
What we need is the means, and not the end. For as is often said, power obtained without struggle and skill is sure to be misused.
