Union Minister YS Chowdary on Saturday asserted that the status of women in India is much better than in many developed nations but it is the picturisation of violence against women that is demoralising them. His observations came even as Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor ESl Narasimhan underscored the need for strengthening the legal process to effectively deal with the crime against women.
They were speaking at the second day of the three-day National Women’s Parliamentary Conclave being held here.
Chowdary said, “As a matter of fact, women today are everywhere. There’s no dearth of decision making power. There’s no dearth of giving status in our country which has given respect to women in our mythologies also. But unfortunately our country is being picturised as violence against women, for which I personally feel may not be true if one goes by statistics. If we talk more and more about it (violence against women) women will lose their confidence.”
Chaudhary also minced no words as he said that there was double standard in the society as it is the mothers themselves who discriminate among daughters and daughter-in-laws. He added discrimination and atrocities are much higher in the developed countries as he found during a seminar at Yale University which he had attended a few years ago.
“Situation in India is comparatively much better,” he added. Chowdary added initially he was against reservation for women in politics as in actual sense men were governing. “But I had change of heart when my leader Chandrababu Naidu corrected me saying that reservation is a first step towards woman empowerment,” he said.
The AP Governor called for exemplary punishment to the guilty in crime against women. “Getting away under benefit of juvenile laws was wrong. A crime is a crime and has to be dealt with. Media also broadcasts certain incidents, especially reports related to crimes against young girls and women repeatedly. What is the Censor Board is doingIJ The crime scenes against women shown in films or electronic media should be cut. I think we should go for legislation in this regard.”
Ex-chairman of UPSC Alka Sirohi exhorted the women and girl students to recognise their talent and work towards their aim while senior journalist Sagarika Ghose lamented that not much was being done to empower women.
The NWP is being organised by Andhra Pradesh legislative Assembly in association with MIT School of Government, Pune with the theme of ‘Empowering Women-Strengthening Democracy’.