The time is not ripe for reserving 33 per cent of seats for women in the legislatures. As things stand, no woman is prevented from contesting elections or discriminated against on the basis of gender. All women who deserved to get elected have been well accepted and promoted to top posts as well. The need of the hour is social, educational and economic empowerment of women. Empowerment through unscientific and illogical political reservation is only a mirage.
N. Sadhasiva Reddy,
Bangalore
Only women who fight and win elections can draw some mileage from the 33 per cent reservation. But it will not automatically lead to their emancipation. Nor will the culture of corrupt politicians change. Men will act from behind the scenes, a spectacle we are already witness to during the municipal elections.
G. Duraiikkannan,
Udhagamandalam
I am proud of being a woman. But I believe that demanding reservation for women in Parliament amounts to admitting that we women cannot make it on merit. If we consider ourselves equal to men, let us compete with them as equals and may the deserving among us win. Are we not doing well in all fields? I strongly believe that we will succeed in politics too.
D. Krishna,
Warangal
Although all leaders talk about the need to empower women, not all of them believe in it as was evident from the fact that some political parties did everything to stall the Women's Bill. With Dr. Singh determined to see the Bill through, it is the fervent hope of all Indians that 2010 will see the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill.
Mani Natarajan,
Chennai
