This Independence Day Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech will touch upon issues that the people want him to highlight in his speech. The tech-savvy Prime Minister has called upon the public to give inputs for the customary Independence Day speech he delivers at the Red Fort on August 15.
There seems to be no dearth of inputs if one were to go by an interaction with students of Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Technology for Women (LBSITW), Poojappura. Narrowing down their inputs to those related to women does not dampen the enthusiasm of the students. Not surprisingly, women’s safety is one topic they all want the PM to highlight. “The situation is grim with scores of women being abused or exploited within the family and outside. The worrisome aspect is that in spite of having laws to nail the offenders, they escape with the aid of money and muscle power. The PM should call for stringent implementation of laws that ensure the maximum punishment to the abusers,” says Dheenah Dastageer, a student of Electrical Engineering. “The court proceedings in rape and child abuse cases just go on and on. The PM can insist upon the need for speedy trials in such cases,” adds Gouri R.S., of Civil Engineering.
Many of them want the PM to emphasise on the need to change the attitude towards women. Amritha Vijayan of Applied Electronics says, “With more and more women going out to work and some of them doing night shifts, there has to be a total change in how we look at women.” Hanna Rahman of Civil Engineering seconds her opinion, saying: “A change has to come from within the home and the PM should exhort people to change their mindset.” This would mean not judging a woman by the dress she wears, adds Deepthi B. J. of Applied Electronics.
With Indian women excelling in different fields, be it education, business, science, or entertainment, the students want the PM to assert and remind every one that women are in no way inferior to men. “The Securities and Exchange Board of India has insisted that listed companies should appoint a woman director on their boards. Our PM can highlight this fact and ask other firms to follow suit,” points out Vinita V. Nayak of Computer Science branch. And he can also exhort women to participate in politics. He should make note of the pre-independent era when there were a lot of women leaders who led from the front.
Meanwhile a few students want him to reflect upon the deplorable condition of women and come out with solutions. While Gouri Vijayan of Electronics and Communication branch want the PM to talk about the sexual exploitation of women in tribal areas, their unhealthy lifestyle and malnutrition, her classmate Karthika Unni talks about the condition of women living in different parts of India. “For instance, women walk miles to fetch water; there are places where women don’t have sanitary pads… It’s not that we don’t have welfare schemes, but they are not reaching the people who need it and the PM can stress on the need to take these projects to those who really need it,” says Athira R. M. of Applied Electronics.
Some of them even want him to mention about how badly women are portrayed in movies, serials and commercials. “And he can also call for a certain degree of restraint on the part of the media while reporting stories involving women,” says Sree Lakshmi V. of Computer Science.
Before they disperse, some of them point out, with some apprehension: “Perhaps, he can start at his home itself, by bringing his wife into the public sphere! And then he should also caution those in his party who are alleged to have a criminal background.”
(A monthly column on views from the campus)
