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| Trying to improve the condition of women | | | Vijay Garg
There have been many movements in Indian society to eradicate the stigma, especially for the betterment of women, but the pace of reform towards women empowerment has been slow. The recent initiative taken by the present Union Government on the issue of women empowerment is significant. He has decided to increase the minimum age of marriage for girls from 18 to 21 years.
This will make the minimum age of marriage equal for the bride and groom. The government is about to bring a bill in this regard. The proposal is being welcomed around the world, but some dissidents are also opposing it. Serious efforts have been made to improve the condition of women in India since the 19th century. Leading social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy had attacked the immediate misery of the society. He held a referendum in 1818 against the practice of Sati. He would go to the cemetery and ask the widow’s relatives to stop the widow’s self-immolation. He also opposed polygamy and talked of giving women property rights. The first legal Hindu widow remarried on December 7, 1856 in Kolkata.
He also formed a public opinion against child marriage in 1850. Also remained active against polygamy. Tamil poet Subramaniam Bharti in his article ‘Women’s Freedom’ had mentioned Gargi and Maitreyi of the post-Vedic period to improve the condition of women. Jyotiba Phule, Gopal Hari Deshmukh, Justice Ranade, K.T. Telang, DK Karve and many other organizations also started agitations to improve the condition of women. Through his efforts in 1891 the age of marriage for girls was increased from 10 to 12 years. All laws are changed according to the needs of the society and new laws are also made.
The central government’s ‘Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter’ campaign is popular across the country. Can a campaign to educate daughters properly be disproved on the basis of an old book? Increasing the age of marriage will give girls a special opportunity to read and write properly and prepare for life’s struggles.
There have been a number of social reform movements in India. Backward-thinking people have been a stumbling block to it. The task of social reform is not easy. In the work of social reform one has to confront the society itself.
The three-divorce law was also vehemently opposed by the extremists but the government proved its will in the matter. Laws are made with social needs in mind. Individuals and groups seeking social change run campaigns. Governments make laws to demand social change. The judiciary also participates in it according to the context. The court had ordered a permanent commission for women in the army. In ancient India, men and women worked together in all aspects of national life. In the Vedic period the basic institution for the formation of society was the family and the basic method of formation of the family was marriage. The gods are also said to be married. There were no child marriages then. In the Rig Veda, the best wishes for a good marriage are to become the jewel of one’s family. Take care of the whole family. That is why the mature age of the girl was necessary. As a child, he could not be expected to have the wisdom he needed.
Women have also been active in military campaigns. It was Kaikei who helped Dashrath in the war campaign and got the boon from him. Many women including Rani of Jhansi also fought in the war. Women’s power has been respected in India. It is a social duty to educate the daughter and make her stand on her own feet. This is what society should do. The Legislature and the Judiciary.
The latest law has been announced by the government. The whole society should have welcomed it with the rule but unfortunately it did not happen. The anti-touch law was also a result of social necessity. Gandhi, Ambedkar, Dr. The campaigns of Hedgewar and Lohia are also noteworthy. The decision of the judiciary in the Shahbano case was welcome but was overturned by the then government under the influence of extremist elements but now there is no such government. Now all decisions are made with determination.
Article 39 (a) provides for the provision of adequate means of livelihood to all men and women equally. Article 44 is very important. It calls for the creation of a “uniform code of conduct for all citizens”. |
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