Frailty thy name is not woman

The “mainstream” section of the world has always believed women to be an antonym of power. They have very carefully segregated women from the power-sharing and policy-making process. We live in bizarre times. We preach that women should be respected and worshipped on one hand and on the other we try all possible ways to snatch every ounce of respect from her. Women are submissive, they cannot think logically, they cannot run corporate houses, and their decision is always guided by emotion and other numerous illogical, baseless myths are deeply rooted in our societies.

You might be living in hegemonic US or a tiny Bhutan, one thing that does not change is the plight of women. Our ancestors from Paleolithic age paid more respect to women than we do now in our so-called modern age. We plant praises on us for excelling in every field possible and we do not even give a minute of our thinking to the state of half of the population of our world. On the name of empowering women we do various kinds of senseless activities and the pseudo-feminists become enlivened and think that “yeah! The women have been strengthened .now we can go and enjoy”. And they forget in the process of this excitement that instead of strengthening women they have once again been successfully marginalized without even realizing. Every now and then the modes of mass communication notify us that particular women went to the space station and made a record or other women went on to become the most powerful (politically) in the world. But do we ever notice that the percentage of this particular group of women who are breaking records is so low. Also there are so many huge incidents where women are disrobed of her dignity and her self-respect everyday and contrastingly the percentage of women falling in the latter category is considerably high.

History is witness to the fact that the arena of politics has always been heavily dominated by men. Few women have managed to reach the top most positions and even today this number remains less. There has been unwritten code which separates the area of public and private sphere. Masculinity, it is believed is suitable to public and political spaces and feminity is an attribute of the private sphere. And with this unreal separation, begins the separation of women from political life. They are made to believe that they are most suitable for a private life, a life where she is the queen of a house and has few ‘left-out’ rights. Simon de Beauvoir was definitely correct when she said “Women are not born, they are made”. So this newly ‘made women’ is not made aware of her rights and the contributions she can make to the society. She is made to believe that only when she brings few masculine traits in herself, can she achieve her political ambitions and be recognized in the society. There are many political women who have tried to act and behave like their male counterparts when in power. Difference feminists might agree with me here because behaving like a woman if you are one is not a sign of weakness, it is sign of valuing yourself as a woman.

Mary Wollstonecraft who is credited with publishing ‘A vindication of rights of women’, the first great feminist treatise mentioned in her work that “It would be an endless task to trace the variety of meannesses, cares, and sorrows, into which women are plunged by the prevailing opinion, that they were created rather to feel than reason, and that all the power they obtain, must be obtained by their charms and weakness”.  In contemporary times we have come up with providing affirmative action to women to uplift their status in the society. The Indian parliament has still not been able to pass the women’s reservation bill which will provide 33% of seats reserved for women. Let me take an opportunity here to ask my esteemed political leaders and other supporters of this bill that will women become equal or bag a fair share in the political arena. Or will they become suddenly strengthened and receive a fair treatment in the society. They might answer in affirmative but all of us are aware that this can’t happen. Give her sound education, treat her like you treat your son, and support her in times of need and she would surprise you with the things that she can accomplish.

In our country where we always act vociferous about rights of women, the political parties themselves show a shameful picture. The oldest party congress which is led by a women leader has only 10% of women political leaders in the party, whereas its rival the BJP has only 7% of women’s representation. Women are either sided to a woman’s wing group or they are made to pay heed on women’s related issues for e.g.: they are given the family planning department or the child care department. The most recent incident I witnessed was during the Delhi gang rape case. Every political party came out with their women spokesperson to offer condolences to the family of the victim and show their saddened faces which is usually dominated by men spokespersons. The scenario became more appalling when the issue was discussed in the parliament and only women political leaders read out their long written speeches whereas their male counterparts were seen yawning and stretching themselves as if they were listening to some old boring video.

The need of our times is not to make women feel as a victim or sympathize with them but to look after them since the time of their birth and be amazed with their unexpected achievements. And to all the women out there, I would like to quote Roseanne Berr, and she says “The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just have to take it”. Do not wait for somebody to come and award you with something, what is rightfully yours will always be yours.

Playing like a woman

How many women sportsperson we have in our highly populated country? In a country where women form half of the population, the representation of women in sports shows a shameful ratio.  It might be termed as the lack of sports culture in our society or the conservative- mindset sprouted idea. The problem arises with the separation of public and private spheres. Men work out, they can go around merry-making, play, and waste their time endlessly and nobody questions them. But when a woman does the same thing she is called names. Because if it is a woman she has to look after the home and her family, anything she does apart from this is mere nuisance. We might have moved ahead and put on the counterpane of modernity but this mindset remains alive somewhere or the other in our brain and waits for the correct moment to make an entry publically.

Women have never been active in sports. One might say that women themselves do not show any interest in games or sports and they prefer other things more. But with this argument shall we believe that men are born with an interest for sports. Their interest is created. Nothing is born with a child. A child is molded in a particular form by parents. Men are always encouraged to participate in sports and roam around but unfortunately the same is not with woman. The problem with us is that we have firmly accepted that so and so qualities are associated with men and so and so with women. Any child which does not follow these prevalent terms is called abnormal. Why women can’t be supported to play and play more. Will it lessen their womanly qualities or is the male clan scared that they might have a competition. It might be possible that men’s chauvinism may be at stake and they don’t want to lose their superiority. This senseless belief that men’s superiority can’t be questioned and women have to act subservient to them is highly detestable. Even if few parents do not discriminate and encourage their girl child to make a career in sports, the facilities available are so limited and scarce enough to shake one’s determination to go ahead with sports as a career. Sports are not introduced at the primary level of schooling until the child is not studying at some good public school and these schools are affordable only for few people in the society. The majority of the population remains deprived of this and they send their kids to government school. These schools run by government do not provide basic education and food, so the sports do not come as a question. The child passes the high school without any firsthand experience of any kind of sports. And then we blame on the lack of interest.

We all had seen the movie ‘chak de india”. It correctly showed all the problems a woman has to face and all the obstacles which come in her way if she wants to pursue sports as a career. Nobody provides the facilities required. The government is not interested in a woman’s cricket team or a hockey team. All they care about is men’s teams especially cricket. But that is a totally different story about cricket getting all the importance at the expense of other games. Few days ago India hosted women’s cricket world cup. And it got nearly nil media coverage. When cricket world cup men’s is hosted, it becomes the biggest news. We welcome it with great pomp and show. It is like celebrating a festival. Everyday there is some piece of news about it in the newspaper. A whole class of intellectual section comes up and starts writing about the significance of this religion and its effects. The whole session of celebration does not happen with the women’s world cup. If we leave the cricket and switch to other games the condition is more or less similar.

Then there are people who mock, who tease, and who make obscene gestures at women who go out to play. This whole group of nincompoops does not terminate their activity. Their tiny brain praises them for this shameful activity. Sports are no different for women from other fields where men have always dominated. There are numerous struggles and hindrances which come in their way. But we have to keep moving and fighting because the reward is not so great without the struggle involved.

Elections in University of Delhi

Barely a week and the campus of Delhi University seem silent as a grave. The over-hyped and over-rated student elections have ended with NSUI occupying most of the seats. And the vociferous elements have gone to their respective hibernation quarters. They would be called next year if any of the parties need them. The annual elections are a very good way to democratically elect a union body. But this is not an annual affair. All the parties keep alluring students round the year to increase their electorate. It is a very smooth and systematic process. Especially parties like NSUI & ABVP begin this process when the session starts. When you are a fresher these elections and campaigning sound extremely alluring and this happens with everybody. Even I was quite energized when I joined DU last year. So this is where these giant students body come in. they try their level best to catch the attention of students by cultural programmes, cleanliness campaigns, anti-tobacco campaigns and other works for social causes. Considering ourselves an active students and hot-blooded that we are, we become the mouse who falls bait to the cheese and lands up in the cage. The bait is not only in one form. Sometimes students get excited just because they are made to believe that they would get the opportunity to rub shoulders with few political honchos. So after getting for themselves enough naïve freshers the parties set out on the election journey. And this process keeps repeating every year.  DU elections are considered to be the most sought after students elections. It is a huge fad because it provides a prospect to enter directly into national politics. And that is the reason why national parties of our country leave no stone unturned in facilitating their respective youth wings to WIN even after knowing that they are violating the recommendations of Lyngdoh committee which clearly and precisely says in its Article [6.3] that ‘dissociation of student elections and student representation from political parties’. It is very thorny for them to understand this one sentence. Many of the times it appears as if it is an election between BJP & Congress rather than NSUI &ABVP. Politicians like deependra hooda, Oscar Fernandez, Sheila dikshit, and others throng the university campus on the day of voting.  They must be well-versed with the English and hindi language and also the recommendations of Lyngdoh committee. Or probably they have become brazen enough as to contravene everything that comes in their way of winning.

And they don’t stop here.  DU elections become a platform for showing off dazzling and swanky cars, heavily built men and hefty currency notes. Party which possess these three important elements in big amounts are the ones who win with a bang. Delicious free food, social gatherings free rides, beautiful faces, distribution of alcohol and freebies to students forms up the core of their original manifestos which is not made public. While this dim-witted temptation gathers few students, it doesn’t increase the turn-out for elections. This year the turnout for elections was slightly over 30%. That is it! Not even half of the university’s population comes out to vote. The enticing manifestos too don’t provide much help because firstly more or less all the parties demand for the same thing. There is nothing novel. And secondly none of them see to it that the promises they made ought to be fulfilled once they come to power. Besides one of the interesting thing is that the manifestos of these parties have been more or less same since a decade. How well-run and efficient the university is! The only promise they live up to is the parties that they throw and the fancy outstation trips they organize. The history of DU says that not a single independent candidate has been elected for any post. The woman as always becomes an object to woo voters. If they contest for any post they aren’t given votes on the basis of what issues they are raising or because it is mentioned in the constitution of Delhi university students union. It has become a history. Instead they are voted for their glamour and their heavily painted demonized visage. It was only once that a woman was elected as a president and that was in 1977.  They are mainly used by the big honchos to create scenes and grab consideration. They have no say in as far as the union is concerned.  Simon de Beauvoir was completely right when she said and I quote ‘women are not born, they are made’. Unquote.

Prem studios in kamla nagar become a very happening place during elections. It is here that most of the contestants get their attractive pictures clicked. For Rs. 800, this studio gives 3 lovely pictures. So arithmetically even if 4 candidates order 3 pictures each the cost comes up to Rs.3200 and this is when the Lyngdoh committee in its article 6.6.1 recommends the maximum permitted expenditure per candidate to be Rs. 5000. It is in actual fact hard to count how much these student bodies squander in elections.

Caste too comes to play a major role. The student politics too like the national politics is reduced to the narrow divisions of caste and class. Students commence their mind games and start selecting candidates as per the vote bases. Despite the recommendation of Lyngdoh committee in article [6.7.3] which states that ‘there shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Places of worship, within or without the campus shall not be used for election propaganda’, the parties continue to breach these proposals. Then a process starts where parties divide the areas for campaigning according to caste and religion. Grime is added to the reputation of DU. The aims of the constitution of Delhi university student’s union pledges ‘to promote consciousness among the students of the university of Delhi of the events taking place around them with a view to better equipping them as responsible and educated citizens and to build up a healthy students movement’. What an irony! When students are divided into fragments in the name of caste and religion at such an early age, how would they grow up to be civilized and responsible citizens of this country? The aims of the constitution also enlist that a sense of service to the people and a duty towards the state should be promoted among students. The students would surely grow up to learn that distributing alcohol and good food is a way of doing a service to the state and its people.

This year was no different in witnessing the painted walls and colorful photographs of the candidates. The Lyngdoh committee clearly mentions in the article [6.7.5] that ‘no candidate shall be permitted to make use of printed posters, printed pamphlets, or any other printed material for the purpose of canvassing. Candidates may only utilize hand-made posters for the purpose of canvassing, provided that such hand-made posters are procured within the expenditure limit set out herein above’. But who pays heed to this. The smaller parties are crushed in this competition of money and politics. Parties like SYS and the AISA are stomped by NSUI & ABVP in the similar fashion as BJP led NDA and Congress led UPA have done in the past with other regional parties. Who is to provide a security to these smaller groups? Why do the college authorities pay no heed to these groups? It was so appalling to see university authorities on their knees in front of these giant groups. The campus was flooded with zillions of printed posters of each candidate. The paintings were also not less. And there was nobody to keep a check on this infringement. Also it is cited in the committee’s recommendation in article [6.7.7] that ‘no candidate shall be permitted to carry out processions, or public meetings, or in any way canvass or distribute propaganda outside the university/college campuses. This was the one recommendation which was defied heavily. There were huge hoardings of the candidates and pamphlets were distributed all over the city. Whole Delhi was aware that elections are happening in Delhi University. And delhi-ites did not know this only from the news or radio channels. Students were campaigning extensively all over the city and meetings were held in every possible place except the university.

usual tussle between two of the largest groups.

Further article [6.7.8] of the committee mentions that ‘during the election period the candidates may hold processions and/or public meetings, provided that such processions and/or public meetings do not, in any manner, disturb the classes and other academic and co curricular activities of the college/university. Such procession/public meetings may not be held without the prior written permission of the college/university’. What happens in this regard is that the esteemed candidates according to their wish stomp into any random class, the teacher is asked to leave and the candidates make their impromptu inspirational and friendly speeches and mould the gullible students into their voters. With every coming year DUSU candidates arrive with some new brainless idea. So this year the dummy candidates were introduced. Once during campaigns I met this friend of mine who is from another college. And during our conversation I found out that the candidate of one of the giant party who had come to my class for a vote appeal was present in her class too and strangely at the same time. We both were totally astonished. After talking to others we found out about the new trend which commenced from this year.

As far as giving the inspirational speeches are concerned, all the candidates more or less talk in a similar tone. There have always been talks on the opening of 4 campuses for the university, probably since the time university opened in 1922. And even now after 90 years it still occupies a place in the manifestos. Also the two which have been opened, only the north one can be termed as a campus. South campus remains devoid of the basic amenities. The commuting problem is such a big issue that students usually prefer north campus colleges. Some colleges don’t even have canteens and few of the privileged ones who boast of a canteen complain of unhygienic and stale food. During admission students are always given a choice between NSS, NCC or sports and also in co-curricular activities. But nothing really happens of these. Students go for these only when they have to get their clearance done. There are few dance groups and drama groups which manage to make a mark. But these are so few that they can be counted on fingertips. Some students graduate out of university without knowing that such groups and such opportunities existed.  Hostel facilities are extremely poor. Numerically there are very few hostels which are unable to accommodate the large no of students.  Such is the condition that an ‘AAM’ student of DU can’t meet the president of DUSU. At the time of elections these groups become extra ordinarily friendly and once the election passes their rowdiness commences.

The members of union keep getting promoted to higher levels and ultimately leave college politics to join national stage and these numerous issues are reserved for next year’s manifestos. The glorious and most popular university of our country showcases such state. Is this the fate of the ‘most sought’ after student’s elections? Was this the purpose behind introduction of student’s elections in our country? How reprehensible it is to divulge that such valued institution has been so demeaning.

From such a young age students are taught of every possible filthy & sordid ways. It is fed in their minds that only through capital, might  and dissection on the name of caste can anybody win the elections. So much so that when these students grow up it becomes their habit. If the future of our country lies in the hands of such young people, then the future is definitely going to be treacherous.

BUZZ!

Pranab Mukherjee is all set to move to raisina hills in few days. The UPA candidate for presidential election, his mild and sociable nature has earned him a lot of friends. And these friends have shown their amity at the accurate time. Prime time and dailies are full of his praise. He is such an esteemed figure in the political arena today that he is capable of dividing NDA and also the left. Such is his range of friends. It is clear that BJP backed P.A.Sangma would not win this election because he does not have such wide variety of friends, infact his own party NCP is not backing him. So numerically Mr.Mukherjee is far ahead of Mr.Sangma. But one question arises here in my mind is that there are very few people who care to count his limitations. Is it because of his amicable nature or is it because people don’t want to pay attention to his negatives now that he has reached the retiring age from active politics. Few days back when Mr.Sangma called him as the “failed finance minister”, he retorted back saying the level of presidential elections should not be taken to the ordinary level. But Mr.Sangma surely left some food for thought. Was Pranab Mukherjee really a “failed finance minister”.

 There is a mood of undisguised glee in the Congress as the Sensex and rupee rebounded barely a day after Pranab Mukherjee filed his papers for presidential election. But then it simply wants to duck the question: Is Pranab’s exit as finance minister good riddance for the Congress? Or for that matter what is his legacy as finance minister?
We all saw how economy revived after the PM took over.
 It is pointed that GAAR which allowed a relook into the tax affairs of any person or assessee even after 18 years was seen as something that contributed to the negative sentiment against Mr.Mukherjee. Similarly, the retrospective taxation proposal for Vodafone also added to this.

There is no mistaking the difference between the approaches of the two leaders when it comes to the handling of the economy. “Mr. Pranab Mukherjee was Mr. Pranab Mukherjee,” said a senior Congress leader while emphasizing that the then finance minister was very much his own man who would simply refuse to accept any advice from anyone, and be it the prime minister. If this statement given by the congress leader is to be taken true then we can surely hope that there will be no rubber-stamp president this time. Let’s just wait for the day when he finally shifts to raisina hills.

Kahaani

The day kahaani’s promos were out on the television, everyone presumed that it will be really excellent. Probably Vidya balaan’s previous tremendous success made people say this. From the promos it seemed very unusual, so even I was very much curious to watch it. And today when I finally saw this intriguing movie, I just couldn't stop myself from eulogizing it. Vidya Balaan surely deserves a hats off for the way she played the character. She is so eloquent & original in the movie. The story revolves around Vidya Bagchi, the protagonist who is a London return pregnant woman. She is in search of her husband. It is her voyage in the ancient and one of the densely populated cities of india, Kolkata. While watching the movie it is very hard to guess, what is going to happen next. The moment one is able to grasp something, one sees totally different thing which leaves one perplexed. The climax is tremendously interesting. The city Kolkata has been portrayed in its true color. The varied, pulsating  and intriguing temperament of the city completely traps the audience’s mind. There is something very captivating about the city. I would really love to visit this place one day. Amitabh bacchan has very well sung  Rabindranath Tagore’s poem “ekla chalo re”. It is very much absorbing. His voice fits perfect to the song. Kudos to the movie!!!

WOMEN!

“Frailty thy name is woman”,said William Shakespeare,the greatest playwright of england. Be it the dark ages or the modern ages women have always been taken for granted. They have always been associated with certain specific qualities viz. weak,fragile,tender,soft,submissive. She has always been portrayed as inferior than men. She has remained confined to the four walls of her house for long. And most of the times the so-called superior sex has expolited her, assaulted her and also has used her for their own pleasure. She has remained a mere object not a living being, an unpaid object. History does  cite few examples of the powerful women, the respected women but these have always remained a handful. At some places she was put in the same category as slaves.

Just because she bores a child & suckles it, she is expected to remain confined to household chores. There has been an unwritten division of labour deeply rooted in our society. Women is to look after the home & the man has to go out and earn money so that the family can be looked after. Simone de Beauvoir, french feminist once said ‘Women are not born, they are made’. How true this statement is! All these divisions between males & females are man-made. There are numerous stupid stereotypical prejudices which humans have been following regarding women. Women has for age long bared all the atrocities laid on her. Now in the 21^st  century people though claim that their perception towards women has changed but few inhuman practices are still prevalent in some parts of the world. But avoiding it all, today’s woman has

become self-reliant. She is no more the same vulnerable sex as she was. She is capable enough to raise her voice on every issue. This development of women is really an achievement for our society. It should be understood that man & woman are the two essential components of any society. A healthy society could be formed only when both its essential components contribute for its development equally.

A 'sham' democracy in Pakistan

Democracy in Abraham Lincoln’s words is a “rule for the people, of the people and by the people. It is a form of government in which supremacy of power is vested in the voters collectively and it is administered by them or the officers appointed by them. As far as Pakistan, our closest and most contentious neighbor is concerned, it came into being 64 yrs ago(they celebrate their independence day on august 14^th) and it is still endeavoring to develop the institutions of politics in its society. The founding father of this nation Mohammed ali Jinnah achieved it democratically and constitutionally. Unfortunately destiny did not give him enough time to draw the socio-economic, religious & political map of this newly born state. Since its inception, the most difficult challenge Pakistan has struggled to meet has been to establish a true democratic system, which could guarantee its survival, stability and development. The plant of democracy has not taken its roots deep enough to make the country a ‘durable democratic state’. Lately there was a tussle between the pakistan’s elected government & the army and looking at the history of this nation there were predictions that army would again take over the government. Army has always remained the most important driver of pakistan’s destiny. From the very beginning Army has run a parallel government. Where government of pakistan has made it a habit to look up to United States for every assistance, army has always been anti-US. Today pakistan is neither sovereign nor independent. It is a “rentier state”, an American lackey, ill-fed, ill-governed by a corrupt, power hungry people supported by Washington. How can you have democracy in a country where people do not rule and the sovereign power of state resides elsewhere?

“We the people” are the three most important words in the American constitution and “We the people” is a phrase alien to Pakistan. From the beginning it can be noticed that almost every elected head of the state in Pakistan has not died a natural death be it Ayub khan, Zulfikar ali Bhutto or anybody else for that matter. During early 21 years of its life 1947-69 Pakistan was governed by civil-military bureaucracy under oligarchic and authoritarian traditions. This was the first chapter of dictatorship. The first general elections took place in 1970 and a unanimous constitution was passed by the Parliament. Elections are an important virtue of the government, but they are not the only virtue. Democracy does not ends with a ballot, it begins there. Creating a democracy requires a free and independent country, an inviolable constitution and sustained commitment of time and money to develop all the necessary elements. After taking abundance of assistance, Pakistan has become a mere puppet in the hands of U.S. and during all these years government has not considered it necessary to pay heed to the masses. They were left to decay in their surroundings. On the name of Islamic brotherhood, government never has felt essential to think about the issues of illiteracy, infrastructure, industry, commerce, health. Pakistani ‘awaam’ as they refer to the masses has remained cut off from the outside world unaware of what is happening across the globe. After years of military dictatorship followed by sham democracy, the situation in Pakistan has reached such a point that masses are yearning for a radical change. Their suffering is immense as people at the top continue to enrich themselves at the expense of workers & peasants, collaborating with imperialism as it ride through rough-shot over the people of Pakistan. The father of American Republic George Washington once cautioned that ‘an attachment of a small or weak towards a great & powerful nation dooms the former to be a satellite of the latter. No truer words have been spoken on this subject. Pakistan is paying and will continue to pay a very heavy price for the folly of attaching itself to America. The main causes of failure of democracy in Pakistan has been lack of regard for the country’s constitution and misuse of powers. The country’s constitution has been ignored and tampered with again and again. Another reason for the breakup of democratic rule had been the contending political ideologies propagated by political parties. The political profession is much to be blamed for playing the game of political gains and for seeking power instead of serving people and the country. The very purpose of creating Pakistan has been thrown into background. No wonder, people have lost faith in the democratic process, elections are rigged, votes are purchased, known corrupt people, tax-evaders are foistered upon poor, illiterate electorate. Elections throw up not the fittest, not the best and surely not the deserving but the scum of the community only because they are the richest or favorites of people in power. A survey of democracy in Pakistan can’t be completed without the assessing the electorate, the voters who are the makers of democracy. Democracy can never prosper in a country where half of the population is illiterate and is not able to use its votes intelligently. Feudalism, illiterate & apathetic people, self-imposed leaders and inherited policies are salient features of the wretched Pakistani political system which further weakens its constitution.

Aristotle has rightly remarked “To neglect the education of young ones is to weaken the constitution of the country”. Democracy is a function of education and it can’t be managed effectively and justly without sound education of voters and their high level of information. And for this lack of education among Pakistanis, again the government is to be blamed. They are the ones who have never felt it important to open sufficient and accessible educational institutions, thus depriving the common people of even the basic education.  Thus it can be analyzed that it is not the democracy that has failed but the politicians who have failed to run the country on correct democratic principles of equality, justice & fraternity. The remedy I believe lies in the words of Lord Beveridge and  “Power as a means of getting things done appeals to that men share with brutes, to fear & greed; power leads those who wield it to desire for its own sake, not for service it am render, and to seek its continuance on their own hands. Influence as a means of getting things done appeals to that which distinguishes men from brutes. The way out of world’s troubles today is to treat men as men, to enthrone influence over power and to make power revocable.”