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| Struggle for gender equality in India | | | Er. Jitender Kohli
Since last some cen
turies the equal gen
der status in Indian culture is being reformed in one and other shape. The great ancestors have established many instances where the Indian women got better social status along improved independent living. This all is appreciated and encouraged and exemplary characters of women are placed before society who created patriotism in Shivaji and Bharat, made great Tulsi Dass, fought against British, worked for education, set way of worship with dedication, raised gun to face violence, provided scientific achievements, served in administrative, law making and law protecting services is one part of growth after reforming efforts of the society. On the other side the women are raped, tortured, killed on one or other pretax, debarred with some religious strings and made to wear or live as the society decides.
These two balances are evident from the time when there was not Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or neither Jainism nor Sikh religion existed. Each formation of a religion had its own clauses, terms and restrictions to discipline their followers with better human environment of those times. Thus such old firmly rooted precedence was being covered in the name of some religious books of more ancient period.
But what was done or was necessitated pre-Indian-independence have lost its sheen after the formation of Indian constitution in pro-independence period with the vastly changing advanced environment at the global level. Educational and scientific advancement have provided new routes to live life keeping both genders at par.
This equality exclusively depends on the implementation of the constitution which brings all Indians at par in performing their religious, cultural or social bondages. The equality doesn't permit to break the religious modes, cultural structure or society woven shape to live-in. Some changes are exclusively necessitated where it physically or mentally damages a particular gender. In such cases the religious heads are bound to sit with the judiciary not with the administration to chalk out peaceful and permanent relief by changing some laws. Administration is mostly obeying on political instructions having no will to implement only the factual way-out. Each religion has different and various restrictions on the soft gender, thus women are deprived of the equal and independent right ensured in constitution. The Muslim personal law hampers women freedom, can be divorced with words spoken thrice, no maintenance allowance permitted and are also debarred from some religious places to enter in for prayers. Same way other religions have some restrictions. In Hindu religion husband and wife are necessitated to worship together. The woman is worshiped in and outside the temple and at places leads the prayer. Temples are open to all genders having local restrictions on movement, separating men and women to pray, many temples have restrictions none to touch the sacred idols, some have permitted only women to enter the temple restricting men, at some women are restricted. This should not become a point of issue on the restrictions of a particular religious place of any community. The agitating women are demanding the equal status under the granted Indian constitution cannot confine to a particular community or place.
All the Indian women should unite and fight for common Indian civil code to enjoy equal political, religious and society status belonging to all sections of the society. Why only one temple or dargah is pointed to permit women to enter in or pray. Why the Muslim personal law is kept out of constitutional governing and Hindu law is contested in court of law? The independence of religious prayers are allowed till it doesn't damage the democratic frame or doesn't harm human or restricts the freedom of particular community or gender.
The assured gender equality is debatable for some particular job conditions, scientific reasons and some local restrictions within the social system not flouting the constitution. National pride is considered when we think of inducting the women in army combat groups at border, but can be entrusted within the internal security. Similarly the women can perform worship process as leading priest but have to consider some scientifically those days which need their restriction to perform. The men are restricted in a temple where the complete religious performance is with women on some logic to maintain women respect. Where the women are restricted have its reasoning.
The variant intellectuals, politicians and associations working for ensuring equal social society gender status can drop particular incidences to take up issue for the equal freedom status of women to be at par with men without confining to religions, regions or castes.
The birth and education among the girls need social backup. Law and society is expected to grant the domestic protection from dowry mongers and drug edicts. An environment is required to let women move and work freely and independently without fearing sex exploitation. Harsh law required to create fear among the rapists and on those who run sex-scandals.
In political sphere no doubt the women deserve better placement but not by nominations but on merit for which society is responsible to make such opportunities. Filling of quota of reservation damages nation and society as the law, procedure ignorant members become law-makers or administrator. The induction must have some slabs at the panchayat, assembly and parliament status for both the genders keeping percentage for women representation. Struggle for gender equality in India must continue for common civil code above the religions.
The author is a senior columnist, freelancer, can be contacted on-- [email protected] |
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