Should women reservation bill be passed?
It is quite ironical that in a country like India, which has had a woman prime minister for seventeen years, there has been no significant increase in female literacy rates or decrease in the maternal mortality rates. One fails to understand why the women reservation bill has still not been passed. Every political party, even those who favour it, starts a debate of passing the bill with a bang, however it ends with a whimper.
The bill originally came up before the Lok Sabha in 1996. But it could not be carried out as the House was dissolved. Last time when it was introduced by the Vajpayee government, it was physically prevented from being tabled. Now, the new government, led by Dr. Manmhohan Singh, plans to resurrect the women reservation bill to ensure gender equality in politics.
The passing of the bill implies that there would be 33.13 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by rotation of seats to different constituencies.
Different political parties have different stance on the subject. The Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party allies and the Left parties have supported the 33.13 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. However, the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Muslim League were prominent among those who opposed the bill in the present form. They insisted that the reservations for other backward clases and minorities, particularly Muslims, should be incorporated before the bill was introduced.
Though I agree that there are many ways to make positive contribution to the society but still the women in India today need proper representation in the Parliament. We, the urban class women might feel that we are independent and do not need any reservation served to us on a platter. We can excel in any field based on merit. But, as a woman and a citizen of India I feel that the bill needs to be passed for the betterment of the women right from the grass root level. Women have succeeded as sarpanches in the panchayati raj. They may have done this with the support of their kith and kin. Having said that, I feel that when it comes to moving up the political ladder, women have to face the a rock solid patriarchal order which blocks them out of the corridors of power. But the fact remains that women may prove to be better leaders because they are aware of the needs of the people around, can do multi-tasking easily, managing their careers and home equally well. I am also against the view that the reservation will only bring forth the biwi-bahu bridage.
Many NGO's are working for empowering women in India. One of them is Manushi managed by Madhu Kishwar. She too holds the view that woman reservation is the need of the hour. Our vision in the new century of a nation where women are equal partners with men will be fulfilled when women get their due representation.
Many educated Indian women might think the other way round saying that if a person has talent he or she can excel in any field. But the question of excellence will only arise once there is equal awareness and exposure for both men and women in India. My view is that nobody can stop the idea whose time has come.
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