Tag Archive for: Women

“#MeToo: Keeping silent v/s staying woke” in TOI Blogs

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Legend it that the fate of truth and lie was irrevocably met with, on one fine day.

The lie says to the truth, “It’s a marvellous day today!”

Truth looks up to the skies and sighs, for the day was really beautiful.

They spend a lot of time together, ultimately arriving beside a well.

The lie tells the truth: “The water is very nice let’s take a bath together!”

The truth tests the water and discovers that it indeed is very nice.

They undress and start bathing. Suddenly the Lie comes out of the water, puts on the clothes of truth and runs away. The furious truth comes out of the water and runs everywhere to find the lie and get her clothes back.

The world, seeing the truth naked; turns its gaze away, with contempt and rage. The poor truth returns to the well and disappears forever, hiding therein, its shame.

Since then the lie travels the world dressed as truth, satisfying the needs of the society, because the World in any case, harbours no wish at all to meet the naked truth. (excerpt taken from The Speaking Tree)

In the light of the #MeToo movement that has taken the nation by storm, truth and lie have become the two most talked of participants. Anyone who has seen Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon would understand how truth is a VIBGYOR and each colour has a story to tell. The allegations seem to be just about as complex. However, just the fear of false allegations should not hold us back, from instilling the fear of crime abetted. The crime of violating consent, misconduct, gangrapes are the most heinous and deserve to be brought to book at all costs.

Karl Marx and his sympathisers relegated women to the second or the lesser sphere and believed that in the scheme of things, women must become forbearers of this lesser sphere. They were to do their duty diligently and produce a score of children (read men) who would then go on to build an indestructible workforce or at least a Reserve Army. However convenient the explanation seemed for years gone by, women’s role in the society has transcended the sphere of being a child making factory. The new age workforce is a slap on the face of misogynistic societies. A transition is actively shaping up and therefore causing inconvenience to years of imbalanced power rhetoric. Women have come to occupy important roles in a plethora of professional spheres and are comfortably outdoing the age-old stereotypes.

The #MeToo movement is rather revolutionary as it hits the bull’s eye. For the first time in so long, more and more women are using the social media as a platform to unveil years of hidden trauma and hopelessness. We have lived in a society where the rich got away with most of the crimes, that the others had to inevitably bear the consequences of. It is ironical that it isn’t the justice system that is making people come forth and unleash their complaints, but rather social media, that has mostly been an inconvenient mirror to the society. This movement is making the society and its hierarchy of power and gender politics stand on their head.

Some men have apologised, some resigned, some are defiant and in turn have called it a reversed witch-hunt. A lot of men seem to sympathise with the alleged, calling women, sympathy seekers, drama queens and the sorts. Truth be told, these are the kind of reactions which strengthen our resolute in the fight against sexual assaults. Victim shaming has been the most played out card in history; unfortunately, it is no longer going to stub voices. The #MeToo movement has indeed given voice to the voiceless; power to the powerless.

Why is now the right time, you ask.

When an ambulance with an all-powerful siren, streams through the roads unhindered and yet reaches the hospital late, it comes under scanners. Not just the ambulance driver, traffic police, people’s civic sense, road structure, you name it and an avalanche of probabilistic reasons ascend.

Why then do we show apathy to justice delayed and often denied, when it comes to women survivors of rape and misconduct. After all, isn’t the physical, mental, and psychological health of women just as important, if not more?

Instead of questioning why women are opening up now and that too to social media, a gracious society would thank them for coming forth. However, media trials are only a channel for those who had their hands tied. Media trials do not constitute as a legal course of action.

It would be laughable to assume that these women coming out on social media are unaware of the same. It is taught in 8th standard school textbooks, that an FIR must be filed and in case it is not registered by the police, then one can approach the Magistrate. However robust our legal justice system is, as evident, it is inadequate in registering cases thus filed. The culture of inherent male chauvinism, victim shaming, abuse of power has made filing FIRs a lot more cumbersome. A responsible society must come forth to nip the issue in the bud. It begins with accepting that there is a web of entrenched issues to deal with.

The government of India has made it mandatory for every employer to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). Ministry of women and child development dedicated a portal of ‘She-Box’ where women can submit complaints. These proactive measures are certain outlets apart from filing an FIR.

It becomes all the more relevant now, to question whether it is indeed time for gender sensitisation courses to start at school level. For one, it is the role of the stakeholders to look into the crux of the problem. And we are all stakeholders in this society, parents, school teachers, social media influencers, advertisements, movies, government, corporate houses, professional office spaces, are each to follow a role set that makes them responsible citizens of the society.

Let us stop normalising errant behaviour, let us stop casually airing “Men will be Men” across TV and in everyday conversations. It is rightly said, “Spare the rod, and spoil the child” If parents and teachers do not step up and mould children right from their youth, it is likely that they would become deviant from the norms of the society. They often inculcate vices, growing up; transitioning from unchecked youth to belligerent adults.

This is a war against apathy, misogyny, chauvinism; it is not a war between men and women, it is not about Bollywood v/s Hollywood. The sooner we understand this, the sooner we become ‘Woke’. Let us all aim for ‘Justice sans Frontiers’.

“Female Genital Mutilation: A millennial crime” in TOI Blog

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It is commonplace knowledge that Islam preaches circumcision, a form of male genital mutilation as a tenet and a sacrament of Islamic practices however little do people know about the equally practiced female genital mutilation.

Under the garb of sacrosanct religious diktats, the Dawoodi Bohra community is obstinate to continue the sublime horror of FGM (Female Genital mutilation) The Bohra high priest vehemently favours this custom, rendering religious justification for its continuation.

While in the West, actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd, Jennifer Lawrence, Uma Thurman have actively engaged in the campaign ‘Me too’ A movement against sexual harassment and assault.

India is rather taking a snail’s pace in the domain. However, Actress Nusrat Bharucha (Pyar ka panchnama actress) who belongs to the Bohra community and whose mother had undergone FGM has filed a petition and speaks vociferously against the custom.

Also known as ‘Haraam ki boti’ in native parlance, it translates to ‘the source of sin’ thereby validating the removal of ‘unwanted skin’.
It is believed that partial or total removal of the external female genitalia will enable individual hygiene, coupled with societal stabilization through controlled female sexual act.

Clitoral mutilation is carried out in these communities, between infancy and adolescence. But the more odious part is that it is carried out by untrained midwives and self-proclaimed experts from amongst the elders in the community.

The usage of instruments such as common knives and blades point out to medical apathy. Looming large over dismal medical procedure is the aftermath of extreme pain, continual bleeding and infections, probable cyst formation, sexual disorders. And it doesn’t stop at that, in severe cases it could lead to childbirth complications, worst comes to worst, even death.

It is presumed to take away excessive libido, prevent unpleasant odor, and ironically reduce urinary infection. However there are no medical records to ascertain this claim, much to the contrary, World Health Organization (WHO) along with United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) issued a joint statement against the FGM in 1997.

In December 2012, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) came up with a resolution to eliminate FGM from the world. It has designated 6th February as the international day for Zero tolerance for FGM.

The sentiment is echoed by United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child (UNCRC) and the UN universal declaration of human rights, of which India is a signatory.

In the international arena, FGM is practiced in places such as Africa, South America and the Middle East. In the present day it has been banned in as far as 27 African countries, America, England, France and the general fervor seems to grow.

Closer home, a PIL has been filed, intervention applications are sprouting in the Supreme Court.

Justice D.Y. Chandrachud has taken cognizance of the clandestine act and regarded it to be a violation of the bodily integrity of the girl child. It was pointed out, why should anyone have the authority to access a girl’s private part, even if it is in the name of faith.

When the SC ascertained its stand, deeming it unacceptable, Congress politician and lawyer for the Bohra community, Abhishek Manu Singhvi claimed that the practice is a thousand year old custom, adding on he said that since only a small section of the foreskin is removed, women do not face any complications and it is not any different from male circumcision. He backed the argument with the Right to religious freedom under article 25 as a basic fundamental right.

Central government’s attorney general K. K. Venugopal threw light upon the difference in FGM and MGM stating as a matter of fact that while the MGM may have benefits however the FGM must be out and out banned, not only is it futile, in most cases it leads to further irreversible complications.

Early in 2016, about 50 FGM survivors launched a month-long campaign in Mumbai ‘Each one reach one’ where experiences and accounts of unfortunate victims are shared on the online portal by women across the world.

A number of women have come forward to show their displeasure and cry out against the nefarious act.

Since most of the victims are minors due to the age frame within which the act is conducted, it is also a violation of the POCSO act.

Earlier this year in February came out the first qualitative study on FGM titled ‘The clitoralhood – a contested sight’ released by Masooma Ranalvi whose network ‘We Speak Out’ is the largest survivor-led movement to end female circumcision.

Statistics that stand testimony to the abhorrent practice revealed that near about 75% of all daughters of the study sample were subjected to FGM, 97% remembered the pain inflicted on them, 33% categorically pointed out that the painful memory remained with them much after they grew up.

As there are 2 sides to one coin, so there exists a fraction of women in the community The Dawoodi Bohra Women’s association which is crying foul against the elimination of the practice.

It is noteworthy however that some women of the community have joined hands in fighting against Triple Talaq, Nikah halala, Polygamy, FGM. But the apathy of politicization of atrocities is a matter of concern. Orthodox members of the Muslim community have made it their manifesto to keep every wrong act alive. And those vouching for Muslim votes are favoring even these wrongs.

The SC verdict is eagerly awaited; however a greater challenge than the SC verdict is societal acceptance.

In order to see real changes manifest in the society, it is the people’s understanding of human rights, scientific hygiene standards and adjustment of moral compass that need to take the front seat. And bigger than that is the victims’ bravery for they alone have to fight out against the atrocities they are subjected to. They alone need to recognize their rights and fight for them.

“Busting the myth: Women at greater risk of heart attack than men” in TOI Blog

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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is thought of as a man’s disease, but this isn’t true. In fact it’s the number one leading cause of death in Indian women and the risk is eight times greater than that of breast cancer.

Another misconception is that CVD occurs above the age of 50, nowadays people in their early 30’s and living in the city are extremely susceptible to a sudden onset. Whatever age a woman is at it’s time to begin taking proactive measures for a strong and healthy heart.

Though it is true that women have a lesser risk to CVD it’s only before menopause. The natural production of estrogen in women protects the heart, delaying the risk of having a heart attack by 10 to 15 years later than men.

After menopause the significant drop in estrogen puts women at a much greater risk than men. Women whose menses began before the age of 11, or became menopausal at the age of 47 or below are at greater risk of a heart attack, so are women who have recurrent miscarriages.

About 12% of people that have a heart attack in India are below the age of 40, which is double the number in the West. City life puts people at 3 times the risk due to lack of excursion which results in diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and many other factors which are stronger causes of heart attack in women than in men.

South Asian women are at great risk of cardiovascular disease as they are unlikely to receive timely intervention as compared to men. South-Asian women tend to be lax when it comes to taking care of themselves, as the age old adage of putting the family first and foremost is carried forward through centuries.

Women of our nation have the habit of brushing pain aside, after all the greatest pain felt by a woman is during the birth of a child and comparatively everything else is ‘discomfort’.

The biggest problem is the lack of awareness that heart disease in women doesn’t always manifest itself as it does in men; often times there is no conventional angina pain on the left arm or left chest that occurs. The symptoms of heart disease in women could be pain in the jaw, back pain, or trouble breathing which could be ignored as something trivial; even if she goes to a clinic or hospital there is a chance of it being overlooked by a doctor.

Cardiovascular disease is preventable and corrective measures should be taken immediately. Regular checkups of cholesterol levels, removing all trans-fats, taking alcohol in limited amounts, and exercising regularly for 30 minutes a day can prove to be mighty beneficial.

Focus on diet is the greatest boon, taking a good daily amount of fruits and vegetables, dried nuts, and good cholesterol producing fats can provide multiple benefits. These preventative measures can combat multiple diseases such as the commonly plaguing thyroid, diabetes and high blood pressure. Simple yet life-changing alterations to diet and lifestyle will not rob a child of a mother, and a husband from his beloved wife.

“Being Sridevi: An abundance of love, humility & self-sacrifice” in TOI Blogs

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India’s first female superstar and Padma Shri Awardee, Sridevi, has been cremated with state honours.

Wrapped in the Tricolor, in a hearse draped with garlands, she was given a gun salute before her last journey. Thousands of mourners clamored to catch a last glimpse of the country’s most powerful actress, a heroine who ensnared watchers of the silver screen with her enamoring presence, often times overshadowing her male counterpart.

The untimely demise of a woman who carried such power came as a shock to all, especially with the twists and turns of the various autopsies creating a shroud of mystery. The news of her death first came as a shock and was defined as a sudden heart attack, later revealed that there was a certain amount of alcohol content in her blood, finally with Dubai authorities stating that her death was due to drowning as she fell unconscious. How all these scenarios intertwine is still a mystery, but the final report is yet to be divulged to the public.

None the less, news of her sudden death has put the nation into a frenzy, and as sketchy as it all looks it would be good for the government to step in and hamper another label of ‘mystery death’. There are too many national heroes, superstars, and well-acclaimed individuals from journalists, to ministers whose death is questionable.

Stories regarding Sridevi’s rather tumultuous life are hitting the headlines. With Ram Gopal Verma’s letter to Sridevi’s fans he has revealed the great sadness behind the ever-smiling face. Sridevi started acting from the tender age of 4 years, her career spanned the course of 50 years. As she kept climbing the ladder of success her personal life was disintegrating. Actors were paid a bulk of their money in black, Sridevi’s father trusted friends and relatives with that money.

After her father’s demise she lost a huge chunk of her hard earned money, and was reared by her overprotective mother. Her mother had invested in a series of bad real estates, leading to more loss. In the 1990’s Sridevi’s mother had a brain tumor, but the surgery was botched leading to damaged brain function. In the midst Srilatha, Sridevi’s sister eloped with her neighbor. Sridevi’s mother signed a will putting the remaining assets in Sridevi’s name, but Srilatha filed a case stating that their mother wasn’t in the right frame of mind to make a sound decision.

When Sridevi finally met Boney Kapoor they were both broke, they fell in love but Boney Kapoor was married. Sridevi was called a ‘home wrecker’ and punched in the stomach by Boney Kapoor’s mother. Many actors and personalities of the industry have come forward and said that Sridevi was unhappy, that she had a miserable personal life, but the one place she was at peace is in front of the camera.

Sridevi was one of the highest paid Bollywood Actress in the 1990’s, at times paid more than her male costars. She is the one and only actress who was capable of huge box office success without the support of a male hero, in fact she would overshadow her male costars and many actors would fear working with her. In the movie ‘Khuda Gawah’ Sridevi managed to overshadow fellow superstar and now King of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan.

After an 8 year sabbatical she made her return with the movie ‘English Vinglish’ which according to Komal Nahta is “the best comeback in Bollywood history”. Established as a formidable actress on-screen with versatile roles each time she did a movie, Sridevi was a shy and humble person off-screen. In her last advertisement she created a homely feel on set, she was keen on being punctual, and didn’t have the ‘star tantrum’ that are usually heard of in celebrities. Her passion and love for acting reflected with the ease she would perform.

Two decades of her life she has spent as the wife of Boney Kapoor and the mother of Jhanvi and Khushi, her daughters. She let her rising career take a step back and placed her family in the forefront, even after her experience with her family she gave all her love to her husband and daughters. Frequently the family was seen together, often times she was seen holding her daughters hands and promoting them for upcoming movies. At the core of her being she was a woman with abundant love, self-sacrificing and humble. Let us remember Sridevi not for the manner of her untimely demise, but for the beauty she shared with her devoted fans.

“Triple Talaq Bill: Opposition’s double game will be counterproductive” in TOI Blog

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Biddat in talaq-e-bidat (triple talaq) means innovation, but in real sense it is no innovation but pervert distortion which is not even supported by Quran. Muslim men in India have used this ‘innovation’ to ruin the lives of women and they want it to continue the same way. Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill was introduced in the parliament by the Modi government not to interfere in the religious matters of Muslim community but to empower women by removing this distorted practice and punishing the culprits for their criminal act.

The bill was introduced for the mothers and sisters of our Muslim community, to uphold their dignity, respect and right to equality. There is no space for compromise in the instant talaq as it doesn’t leave any scope for that. This mindless practice allows Muslim men to terminate the marriage in a jiffy, leaving aggrieved woman with her children helpless and shelter less. So the only objective of this bill was, is and will be to stop talaq-e- bidat forever and provide succour to aggrieved Muslim women.

When marriage is solemnized in the presence of all the family members and friends then why triple talaq is given in a one-sided, secluded manner? This bill will strengthen the status of women and prevent their social and economic harassment. The opposition parties played double game on this issue in the parliament. They allowed the bill to pass smoothly in the Lok Sabha but taking advantage of their majority, created hurdles in the Rajya Sabha. They raised frivolous objections on the viability of the bill and tried hard to make the government bite the dust. Their clear intention was to appease fundamentalists whom they use as vote bank but little did they realize that their gimmicks would ultimately back-stab Muslim women and deprive them of long awaited justice.

When this practice was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in view of the constitutional guarantees and rights given to Muslim women as equal citizens of India, it is not hard to understand why opposition parties are playing dirty politics over this issue. Thanks to their blind support for Islamic fundamentalists, this pervert practice is still continuing unabated. Recently, two more cases of instant divorce took place in Uttar Pradesh. In one of the cases, the woman was deserted because of skin colour and in the other, she was thrown out because she demanded money for the treatment of her daughter. Such uncouth treatment with women is simply shameful and unacceptable. How can a civilized society allow such blatant injustice?

Uttar Pradesh has become the first State to authenticate the Central government’s draft bill that makes triple talaq a cognizable and non-bailable offence. Under the draft law, triple talaq given by uttering, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp — would be wrong or illegal and unconstitutional. The draft law, which provides for three-year imprisonment and a fine to a man trying to divorce his wife by uttering “talaq” three times, got the State government’s approval at a Cabinet meeting.

Politically motivated Muslim fundamentalists are attacking the Modi government for interfering in their religious matters but the fact remains that the proposed bill is not against their religion but the inhuman malpractice of triple talaq which according to Supreme Court infringes upon the fundamental rights of Muslim women. Whereas the Supreme Court declares triple talaq illegal, the bill provides the framework for the delivery of justice. When triple talaq is declared illegal by the Supreme Court, those who perpetrate such practice must be punished adequately and must provide compensation for their misdeeds.

Despite road block in the Rajya Sabha, the Modi government has expressed its 100% commitment towards this bill. If they really want to enact this law, they still have many options. The government can reintroduce it in the budget session after due consultation with the opposition parties. If the opposition parties try to vitiate the soul of the bill, then government can convene a joint parliamentary session to get it passed. Hope good sense will prevail on opposition parties this time and they will help government enact this historic law that empowers Muslim women.

“From moon to the world, it’s all about Indian women” in TOI Blog

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It is always said to each and every Indian women out there that you are born to fight. Fight with rituals, myths, society, men domination and what not. Indian women have almost fought a war to be what they are now. Whether it is the great Matreiye or Kalpana Chawla or the world’s most beautiful lady- Manushi Chillar, every one has contributed a lot to make this nation proud and independent. Indian history is flooded with all these great women who had shown a remarkable face of themselves when the society needed them the most. One should not get surprised after knowing the fact the it was not the Indian men like Chanakya and Ashoka who dreamt of ‘Akhand Bharat’ but she was the mother of Puru, Anusuya who had been killed for dreaming so.

When it comes to sacrifice, those were Indian women who put their step forward before anyone to protect their family, to protect their nation. Rani Padmavati is in lot of debates nowadays and we Indians must not forget that she was the one who with other 16,000 women did ‘Johar’ after struggling against Alaudin khilji. Not only this, there were many powerful women like Rani Lakshmi Bai, Bhagwati Devi, Aasha Devi, Uda Devi and Begum Hazart Mahal who played an incredible role in 1857 Indian Revolution against Britishers. They made Britishers hollow from inside and this revolt encouraged various other women to jump in the Indian Freedom Movement. Women like Sarojini Naidu, Hansa Mehta, Durgabai, Renuka Ray and Malti Chowdhry had become sensations for Indian people who later on became the framers of Indian Constitution. Even when Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose build Indian national army, he made a special branch for women which was headed by Lakshmi Sehgal.

From then, our Indian government noticed the true power and capabilities of women of our country and allowed them to be there not only in Indian Military but also in Airforce and Navy so that they can fight with the enemies of our nation. But these ladies are just not strong, they are supreme in every other category and this was purely proved by the most beautiful ladies of this world and that too Indian whether we name Rita Fariya, Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai, Diana Hayden, Yukta Mukhi, Priyanka Chopra or the most recent Manushi Chillar who has made India proud in front of the whole world. And its all about the culture and values of Indian women which are further been given to their daughters and Manushi Chillar gave a great example of this thing by beautifully describing her mother’s contribution in her life.

India was known as the underdeveloped land of snake charmers and acrobats, but these daughters has totally changed the image of our country. Its not just about beauty but also brain whether knowledge, logics or scriptures are concerned. And in all these things, government is also providing a back hand to develop women in every way possible. There is greater thrust on women’s issues by Modi’s government. One of most recent step taken by this government by passing a bill to abolish this ‘triple talak’ practice which would help the Muslim women to be stronger. He is building on a variety of women-focused initiatives like campaigns to educate girls, increased maternity leave, the provision of safer cooking fuels for rural families and also a bill seeking one-third representation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies seeing that women are no less than men in politics and can run a nation as well.

This journey of Indian women so far is much respectable and appreciable. They are now much capable of raising voice for their rights. It can easily be seen that women place themselves in a much stronger place nowadays as on one hand we have India’s first woman defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman while on other the lioness Sushma Swaraj whose voice is enough to calm other men down. These ladies are not less than anyone. Now no moon is farther for any new budding Kalpana Chalwla and the world seems less for ladies like Manushi Chillar.

India is a country of goddesses where women are treated above all, where they are worshipped, where disrespecting them is always an offence. Now they are awaken and much more powerful than ever, powerful enough that they don’t rely on others. They very well know how to fight with social disparities to maintain their family and how to fight with enemies to run a nation because Indian women are born fighters.

“Bill against Triple Talaq: How long will this fight continue? Include polygamy and Nikah Halala in this Bill too” in TOI Blog

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On November 24, a 32-year-old woman was allegedly divorced by her husband via phone call. They were married for 10 years and have children. Her husband uttered “talaq” thrice on the phone as the woman wasn’t able to meet his extortionist demands for dowry.

“There were 177 reported cases of triple talaq before the Supreme Court verdict. Even after the verdict, 67 cases of instant talaq were reported. The majority of such cases were in Uttar Pradesh,” said a senior government official.

On August 22, the Supreme Court declared instant triple talaq unconstitutional. The court’s ruling was that instant triple talaq is “violative of the fundamental right under Article 14 (equality before law) of the Constitution of India”.

The verdict added that Muslim Personal Law (Sharia) Application Act, 1937, when it comes to the matter of triple talaq, must be removed. After the landmark judgment, it was up to Parliament to enact the legislation regarding Muslim marriages and divorce, which is to be implemented within six months of the Supreme Court ruling.

The government plans to introduce legislation aimed at outlawing the controversial Muslim practice of instant triple talaq in the coming winter session of Parliament. “The draft has been sent to all the state heads, and their recommendations and comments have been sought on the draft. Once that is done, further steps will be taken to table the Bill,” a Home ministry official had said. It has been reported that state heads had been given three months to give their suggestions and consent.

The plan is to bring a bill that will ban instant triple talaq, create a non-bailable punishment, and a three-year imprisonment sentence against the husband. The bill may also grant the wife maintenance and custody of her minor children by moving the court. The bill will make instant talaq through any form (verbal, writing, electronic etc) illegal and void. Any aggrieved Muslim woman would be entitled to approach a magistrate court to seek redressal.

A senior BJP leader said, “the issue of triple talaq has become a social concern because women have started coming out against it. The practice is now being opposed by women who are financially and socially vulnerable.” When instant triple talaq happens, a victim has no option but to approach the police for justice. “Even police are helpless as no action can be taken against the husband in the absence of punitive provisions in the law. The step taken by the government is a positive message and legislation will go a long way in deterring Muslim husbands from divorcing their wives. Legislation will also empower women who find themselves helpless against the use of the practice,” the BJP leader had said.

The best solution to remove all hardships faced by women would be to apply Uniform Civil Code nationally and remove Personal Laws. When it comes to polygamy, instant triple talaq and nikah halala in Sharia Law, they all are a violation of the rights and integrity of a woman. To follow a UCC which guides each individual under the same purview of the law with equality not only of religion, but also of gender, is the aim of our constitution and our judicial system. Till when will our Muslim sisters fight these archaic practices?
Though the problem of Personal Laws isn’t limited to Muslim women, it also extends to other factional divisions.

In 1991, Goolrukh Gupta, who was named Goolrukh Contractor before her marriage, was married in South Gujarat to a Hindu Man. Originally from the Zoroastrian faith, she held to her religion and continued her practices even after marriage. After her father’s death she was denied entry to the Tower of Silence in Mumbai, even though her father’s last rights were performed there.  She approached Gujarat High Court against this discrimination.

The Gujarat High Court stated in 2012 that due to the Special Marriage Act, (applicable where two individuals from different faiths marry), her religion had changed to that of her husband. She is no longer a Parsi and is now a Hindu. She took the case to the Supreme Court against the Gujarat High Court’s judgment which claimed that Ms Goolrukh Gupta ceased to be a Parsi after her marriage to a Hindu. Chief Justice Misra stated that a woman is not mortgaged to her husband after marriage, her individual identity as well as religious identity are maintained under the Special Marriage Act.

The Chief Justice further said that only a woman can choose to follow or curtail her religious identity, she has that freedom of choice under the Special Marriage Act. If only such freedom of choice, identity and equality were granted to members of all religions and faith.

“We welcome capital punishment for child rapists” in TOI Blog

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Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, wants death as punishment to rapists. This extreme sentiment felt 8 months ago by Mr Chouhan has now taken civic action. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in 2016 Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest number of rape cases in the country. In the past two months there has been a sharp increase in rape crimes, and on this Sunday the Madhya Pradesh state cabinet passed a proposal for amendment of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for harsher punishments for rape, molestation, stalking, and sexual harassment. The proposal has approved the appeal for death penalty of raping a girl child 12 years old or younger, and for convicts convicted of gang rape. There is also an amendment in the IPC to increase fine and punishment for rape convicts.

After the Cabinet meeting Finance Minister of MP Jayant Malaiya stated that there should be provisions for harsher punishment under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 493 (cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage). “The recommendation is to impose a fine of Rs 1 lakh for such crimes in addition to harsher punishment for stalking, harassment, rape, and capital punishment for those convicted of rape and gang rape of children aged 12 years and below,” Malaiya said. “For this, the proposal is to add a subsection 376A IPC and 376D (gang rape) IPC. Punishment should be increased under section 493A also.”

Even though Madhya Pradesh might have passed the amendment for this bill the result may not be predictable as it will have to be passed by both houses of Parliament due to the request of capital punishment. A proposal for amendment of these two sections will be presented in the assembly during the winter session. After it is passed in the House, it will be sent to the President for assent.

After the infamously heinous Nirbhaya rape case public demand was to make it safer for women to leave her household without fear for her life or integrity. Another demand was to have stricter and swifter punishable action against criminals, and for more effective criminal proceedings in court. It was during that time that Indian nationals and eminent politicians demanded capital punishment for rapists, Mr Chouhan is one of them. Yet Madhya Pradesh has decided to approve the amendment after the state had come under criticism over rape incidents. The greatest trigger being when a 19 year old UPSC aspirant was raped when returning home from coaching. Her FIR registration was delayed and it led to the suspension of some police officers. In 2014 MP reported 5,076 rape cases, which was 14 percent of the total rape incidents reported in the country.

Yet the proposal has narrowed down to specifics, it will be applicable to a child under the age of 12 and the child should be a girl. The biggest flaw with this amendment is that the rape or molestation of boys is not taken into account. Amod Kanth, former police officer and founder of NGO Prayas said, “When we conducted a national study on child abuse in 2007, along with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, we found that there were as many male victims of child abuse as female.” It is time to forget about gender when it comes to rape, justice for everybody should be on an equal basis irrespective of their differences.

“The power of a mother: from Manushi Chillar to Majid Khan” in TOI Blog

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India is a nation whose people value their mother with reverence, from the portrayal of deities in powerful and caregiving roles to men folding their hands in obeisance to ‘lakshmi’. A country which terms its nation as ‘Bharat Mata’ is a rare find in this technologically advancing world. The power of a mother is undeniable, her tears can bring her son back from the abyss and her values can make a woman globally acclaimed.The power of a mother is undeniable, her tears can bring her son back from the abyss and her values can make a woman globally acclaimed.

After a 17 year drought, India’s Manushi Chhillar won the coveted Miss World 2017 title in China. The previous winner was Priyanka Chopra, in her winning answer, Priyanka stated that her idol is Mother Theresa. Manushi, after 17 years, also gave a response based on the value of mother’s which received a huge applause from the audience. The question asked was, “Which profession deserves the highest salary and why?” The 20-year-old said, “A mother deserves the highest respect. It’s just not about cash but also the love and respect that you give to someone. My mother has been a huge inspiration. it is the mother’s job that deserves the biggest salary.”

This reply has awoken the people of India to embrace their cultural values and put their beloved mother’s on the pedestal they deserve yet are rarely acknowledged for.

It has been the argument of feminists that housewives are the largest unpaid workers globally, resulting in work done worth billions of dollars yet not recognised in our economy. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development revealed that an average woman in India spends five hours a day in unpaid work, Indian men spent under 51.8 minutes a day. If the same woman has children from the age range of 1 to 6 years of age, the workload hours increase. Yet the term ‘housewife’ is frowned upon, a mother’s work is thought to be trivial, and her life imagined to be a ‘waste’.

Even if the work of a mother is thought to be a backbreaking task the entire process is imagined to have no economic value whatsoever, even though motherhood helps prepare kids for the national and international labour market. Yet all the efforts that a mother puts into the household, giving her love to her child are not disregarded. On one hand, where a mother’s love brought the coveted Miss World title back to India, a mother’s love also brought back a son from the brink of self and national destruction.

The effect of the love of a mother on her child is profound. Footballer Majid Khan who joined Lashkar-e-Taiba returned home after seeing a video of his mother crying for his return. Majid was seen at the funeral of Muzamil Manzoor, a militant killed during a gunfight in Kund. A week after he announced on Facebook that he was joining the militant ranks he returned. J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti welcomed Majid’s decision to return home.

‘’A mother’s love prevailed. Her impassioned appeal helped in getting Majid, an aspiring footballer, back home. Every time a youngster resorts to violence, it is his family which suffers the most,’’ she tweeted. Shortly after the return of Majid Khan, a 16-year-old boy heeded to his parents’ call and returned home in Chimmer village.
Seeing the positive effect that has been created by these videos of mothers telling their sons to come back home, many other mothers of terrorist sons have started doing the same.

In response, there are sons who are returning back home and aren’t being arrested. The government of J&K has declared that there will be no penalty for first-time offenders of any crime. In this manner, we can see that the role of a caregiver isn’t limited to our conventional belief of mother, but is also by the government. This different approach to rehabilitation of the youth, the belief that there is still hope, and the understanding that there is a gap in approach between the Indian government and Kashmiri youth has brought about a new approach.

The question still arises that with the hullabaloo surrounding Manushi Chillar’s response, to the return of children from terrorist groups, are we truly deserving to be called a nation who respects their mother in the 21st century? Compared to Western countries where children tend to live in nuclear families and leave their residence at the tender age of 18 years old, the attachment to parents isn’t as strong as in India.

Or yet that was the case until at least a decade ago, the new age trend is for Indian children to be educated outside of India and continue to live there, Indian children are leaving their parents alone. To achieve the dream of being successful in life, where success is measured in terms of international standards of income, the primary caregiver falls behind. Perhaps it is time to follow what we preach, not just say that we love our mothers but be there to care for our caregivers at a time that matters the most.

“Reservation of Women should be above party politics” in TOI Blog

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Google Doodle honouring India’s first female scientist Asima Chatterjee, Sushma Swaraj the roaring lioness speaking on behest of India and on India’s foreign policy in UNGA, and Sonia Gandhi urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the Women’s Reservation Bill meets a logical conclusion.

After decades of delay in the domain of women empowerment, 2017 has been a fast paced roller coaster ride, and the current government is keeping us on our toes in the hopes of seeing more rapid progress and development.

If anybody delves into the history of India they would know that such slow progress was unwarranted and would find its roots deeply entrenched during the colonial period of British India. The British Empire didn’t want the citizens of our nation rising to a respectable level. So our legal system barely budged as a matter of fact it retrograded, and our manner of living was purely medieval. Yet out of the prevalent evils of casteism, and female subjugation some women of our nation became leading pioneers and are globally acclaimed. Here, we name a few:

1. Asima Chatterjee, a renowned Indian chemist’s 100th birthday was marked by Google with a Doodle on the 23rd of September. An organic chemist, Asima Chatterjee paved the way for Indian women in science and improved the odds of survival for patients with cancer, epilepsy, and malaria.

2. A pioneering botanist and cytogeneticist, Janaki Ammal, born 1897, is credited with putting sweetness in India’s sugarcane varieties. There is even a flower named after her, a delicate bloom in pure white called Magnolia Kobus Janaki Ammal, only a few nurseries in Europe cultivate the variety.

3. Born in 1865 in an extremely orthodox Brahmin family in Maharashtra, a 9 year old girl got married to a widower who was almost thrice her age. The girl later on became the first Indian woman to qualify as a doctor. Her name was Anandibai and her husband’s name was Gopalrao Joshi. Gopalrao, was determined to educate his wife when she expressed her wish to study medicine at the age of 14. Unfortunately, before she couldn’t practice medicine as she left her heavenly abode at the age of 22.

4. Dr Rukhmabai has the honour of being the first practicing lady doctor of India. Her journey was not an easy one, she was married at the age of 11, child bride Rukhmabai Bhikaji contested her husband’s claim to conjugal rights in an iconic court case that led to the passage of the Age of Consent Act in 1891. In 1888 despite the out-of-court settlement, this case became a landmark in colonial India for raising issues of age, consent and choice for women in marriage. Rukhmabai was ostracized by society, but she didn’t let this affect her ambition of being a doctor. She finished her studies and obtained a position as Chief Medical Officer in Surat. She never married again and remained active in social reform till her death in 1955 at the age of 91.

Though Dr. Rukhmabai’s case might have played a pivotal role in the Age of Consent Act, the age limit was only increased from 10 years to 12 years. India is still fighting the confusing interloped situation of child marriage and the Age of Consent, where logic dictates justice albeit practice otherwise. In the fight for proper judicial and legislative rights of women, Sonia Gandhi wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 20 September, 2017, urging him to take advantage of the majority BJP members in Lok Sabha to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill. The women’s Reservation Bill plans for 33% reservation of women in the Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies, yet Panchayati Raj and Civil Bodies already have this reservation for women. If passed, India can be acknowledged as a leading global figure in political and participation equality of women. It can help surpass the few number of women that we hold dear as ‘leading figures’ or ‘pioneers’ who work so hard to break the glass ceiling, and provide the nation with many more women defying the patriarchal assigned roles.

Currently the global average for Women in Parliament is 22.4%, India stands at a meager 12%. On a global scale we rank 103rd from a list of 140 countries, and in Asia we rank 13th out of 18 countries. It’s about time that we quit hiding behind the curtain that India is one of the youngest nations in the world. After 70 years of Independence, a rapidly growing nation, and the vision of our founding fathers it’s time to take action and not hide behind a veil of excuses.

As shown by the stories of the pioneering scientist women of India reservation is not a necessity, but it is a good set up. The women scientist pioneers of India were fortunate to have husbands, or fathers support them at a time when women were prone to child marriage and pushed to bear children. The manner in which they broke the chains of society was with the help of the chain makers of society, the men in their lives. It’s time for us all to stand up and give our women a helping hand, in the form of a mother, father, sister, and brother.

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