India may have missed the symbolism of passing the Women's Reservation Bill on the hundredth anniversary of International Women's' Day but the delay does not rob the Rajya Sabha's decision of its historic and global significance. There is hardly any example of such a bold and progressive measure to improve the representation of women anywhere in the world, least of all in a society plagued by pervasive gender inequality, discrimination, and violence. After developing cold feet in the face of political threats by the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal and the disruptive tactics used by their MPs, the Congress party decided to stiffen its spine and go for broke, despite the risks involved. Credit for this resolve must be given primarily to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, whose unequivocal advocacy of the bill helped quell the misgivings within a section of its male leadership, as well as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. But the applause must also go to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left, which put the politics of oppositionism aside to help the government pass the 108th constitutional amendment in the upper house on Tuesday. The Trinamool Congress's criticism of the suspension of seven SP and RJD MPs for their unruly behaviour on Monday demonstrates the party's duplicity and need not unduly detain the government's floor managers. Once the reality of women's reservation sinks in, few of those who have staked such strident positions against the bill can afford to remain in denial.
In all probability, equilibrium will quickly return to existing alliances and arrangements as parties turn their attention to managing the mechanics of seat allocation under the new dispensation. The United Progressive Alliance government should now move quickly to win the Lok Sabha's approval for the women's bill. Any delay will only play into the hands of the obstructionists, defeating the purpose behind moving ahead in the first place. As in the Rajya Sabha, there will be protests in the lower house, perhaps even more unruly and boisterous than before. Unlike their colleagues in the upper house, many male MPs in the Lok Sabha will stand to lose their seats to women and are likely to throw everything into what will, after all, be their last stand. Ensuring a proper floor strategy to deal with disruptions is vital so that there will be no repeat of Monday's disgraceful scenes. The members who attacked the dignity of the Rajya Sabha chairperson betrayed the trust reposed in them by the people. Suspending or expelling MPs for flagrant violation of parliamentary procedure and indulging in violence is a requirement of democracy and there is no reason for the government or Speaker to be squeamish about it.
Keywords: Women's Reservation Bill, Parliament, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, UPA government
After 63 years of independence, the Indian government's solution to any social issue is reservation. Reservation for whatever reasons should be gradually scaled back and made effective in ways that benefit the society rather than being expanded.
It will be commendable and breakthrough effort to pass Woman's ReservationBill. But outside parliament the political parties supporting the bill must awake our society and draw public openion also. Without that there will be many in disguise to stab from the back.
While it is true that reservation has to be recognized as a wrong practice in itself, there is the practical wisdom contained in the Women's Reservation Bill given the nature and mindset of the average masculine society. It is undisputable that women could make a considerable contribution to the progress of our country. It is for the same reason the process of empowerment requires to be initiated with the help of a protective Bill. Even when the opposition to the Bill could be dismissed as frivolous, the times to come will prove whether the Bill will bear intended and tangible results by changing the political face of Indian women.
I think that reservation of any kind, be it in education or parliament, should not be there.
I am against the bill as it overrules the right of men in those seats which will come under reservation. The alternative --giving recognition to parties that give 33% to women-- would have been better.
This bill is an eye-wash to show that they have given upliftment to women and encourage their competitiveness in both houses.But actually reservation like system is not required if women are that much talented and competitive they have come up their own not by catching hold of reservation bus.no one has said that women are not talented and are discriminated.Now eventually this bill is not going to be favourable for normal women,this is going to be entirely for the politician's parivar,no benefit for aam admi? Then why this Bill?? This is like watering river rather than the tree.
People's choice of their leader should be based on 'talent'and ability' and not on 'gender'. Let the political parties exhibit their confidence by fielding as many women candidates as they like and allow them to fight the elections. Let the electorate choose the candidate of their choice free from all restrictions.
One needs to expose the shallowness of the bill which is acually an eyewash. Male members of the political parivars get control of dynasties and to humour the daughter-in-laws these politicians will use the Bill. All this in the name of maintaining the continuity in dedicating the family to service of a constituency. Women who were denied tickets because they were not winnable will now fight weak women candidates only. Women and Men are no longer equals. No political party will now give any unreserved seat to a woman candidate. Wish more efforts were made by educated women to ban ugly practices like Sati and widow burning, child marriage and girl infant killings. Let the women who are happy on pseudo empowerment pass a resolution which includes prosecution of people who make fun of women who due to medical reasons cannot be mothers. Discrimination is in the mindset of people.
I agree with the decision to reserve 1/3 of the seats for women. The elected women now have the power to present or at least bring into light various problems faced by a woman in the society and its solutions in the assembly. Otherwise, hoping for the men, who are already feeling insecure of losing their positions to women, to take some steps to improve a woman's status is completely irrelevant. And regarding deserving male candidates, they can always apply for the remaining 2/3 part of the assembly. If the male candidates are more deserving, they are still in majority.
Even though the Women's quota bill on the surface appears to address the gender inequality, it may turn out to be far less effective in practice. This is because a male politician may simply ask his wife or daughter to run for one term and he returns the next term, while another one repeats the same. In effect this is a constitutionally mandated BABU, BIWI AND BETI BILL!!
It was a welcome move to provide more opportunities to women in India. At the same time why do we need to bring a reservation. In one way it at least makes sure there are 33% of women in the Parliament or assembly, but on other hand it is a restriction. Practically there will be only 33% of women and no political party will give more than that 33% percentage even after 100 years from now. We are also taking other opportunities away from both able men and women. Instead of giving a reservation in parliament, why can't the Election Commission mandate that all political parties contesting the election should have 50% of women candidates ? India boasting of world's biggest democracy should be aiming at giving equal oppurtunities for both men and women. Make law to enforce giving opportunities and let the better ones prevail be it a man or woman.
The current reservation will only help the wife and daughters of current politicians. What is there for normal women of India? It is not going to change.
Politicians do not want to address the fundamental causes of gender equality. They just want to address its symptoms. What is more distressing is the credulity of Indians who really believe reservation will uplift the downtrodden masses. Posterity will question Ms.Gandhi and her Congress government.
I dislike reservations of any kind, because they are invariably "blanket" solutions to problems. Simply because thousands of people die in accidents involving motor vehicles, it does not warrant a blanket ban on motor vehicles or require regulation on how many motor vehicles can pass through a street. What is needed is education and enforcement of road safety. Similarly, blindly allocating parliamentary seats based on sex, will not solve any gender inequality problems. There is no evidence that the caste-based quotas that we have today have worked to uplift people from the lower castes. We are sliding down a slippery slope here. Everyone will clamor for reservation based on income, disability, etc. etc. The list is endless. It also raises question of whether this bill violates our fundamental right to choose. The bill will require 1/3 seats to be reserved for women. So in a particular "woman-only" constituency, people will be forced choose a woman. This means, no able man in that constituency can stand for election! If the Indian government wants to make a token gesture (because that is what this bill really will end up doing) that women's concerns and issues will be addressed, they simply should have reserved 1/3 seats in the Rajya Sabha alone, which is not really elected directly by the people. The Lok Sabha is the "People's House"--for men and women. Reservation of any kind has no place in it.
As Albert Einstein once said, a problem cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created it. The problem here is discrimination. By creating reservation, we may be able to "uplift" one set of people, but we will never be able to remove discrimination through reservations. After all, reservation itself is a kind of discrimination. It is only a short-cut solution. To truly eradicate discrimination, we have to do it the hard way - through education and patience. Reservation will only end up aggravating the situation.
Yes, all of us fight for equality. We have discrimination everywhere around us. But the solution for this is not just to build this into the system. By further emphasizing equality, we have brought in an inbuilt discrimination. The modification is not required on paper or in numbers. The real modification is in the attitude and reservation is certainly not the way to go about it.
When the reservation system was first introduced, it was aimed to uplift various sections to stand on their own. Also it was advised that the system should be amended in the years to come. But instead of moving forward, we are moving backward. Caste system is coming up again with a new face.
I am afraid that we are over-simplifying the problem of gender-inequality. No one with a historical perspective could imagine that the solution of "quotas" would remove this universal inequality.The very fact that this is the 108th amendment of the Constitution, shows how we have not been able to solve our problems to the expectations of our Constitution framers. Social problems defy emotional solution. They require deep study and hard work on the part of politicians. Self-congratulating this as "historic" is only to deceive ourselves.
A small question on the issue. Does this mean that female candidates will be given priority over opponent male candidates eventhough they might lose to them just to fill up the 33% constrain. Though I duly agree with the need for empowerment of women, doesn't this violate the essential people's decision to choose a leader?
Gender inequality, discrimination, and sometimes violence against them are experienced by the women in India largely in their homes and not in the public arena. Can this situation change even to a small degree if a certain percentage of seats in parliament and State legislatures are occupied by women? In the public space it is only lack of education which is keeping women away from lucrative professions and even from other types of employment. It is the gender discrimination at home and domestic poverty which are the causes that keep girls from schools and colleges. Whatever little money is available to educate children will be used by their fathers on their sons. In the public place in India, women generally get respectful treatment. For example, ladies' queues and space povided to them in public transport etc.are generally respected. Occassional cases of misbehavior of some do not vitiate this assessment. we will be fooling ourselves, if we think that the reserving seats for women in legislatures will wipe out gender inequality and discrimination from the country, especially in the domestic space.
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