A possible reason for the disconnect between social status and political representation of women could be the economic affluence of Haryana (“A great divide”, August 15). As an agrarian economy which benefitted a great deal from the Green Revolution, Haryana saw the embourgeoisement of low income groups. These groups which got economic empowerment because of a technological change looked to improve their political clout. Legislative interventions such as women’s reservation in panchayat elections and minimum educational qualifications became a positive reinforcement. As the writer says, “it was more due to default rather than design” that the interplay of new affirmative laws and the systematic challenges for males to contest elections led to more political participation of women. Still, these women are a shadow of their male relatives.
Indhumathi S.,
Chennai
Independence Day is an appropriate time to debate the status of women in India. It is striking that women, who are almost 50% of the nation’s population do not even have 10% representation in the legislative or executive body of the government. Still more than 90% of women are dependent on their male counterparts economically. Gender equality is not just a virtue which needs to be achieved but it is something which is directly related to crimes against women and their self subsistence. Economically and political powerful women will help in breaking down the patriarchal thinking of society.
Karan Choudhary,
Pathankot, Punjab
