Restricting women only fosters social inequality
Every single day we are reminded that India is a young country. But, if indeed we are a young country, why are the political leaders hell-bent on making unlivable conditions for young womenIJ This is not just about the comments from Minister of Culture Mahesh Sharma, who proclaimed that women should not go out at night. This is about the overall paternalism that exists across the Indian polity, and despite some very high-profile women politicians, Indian politics is yet to escape from the black hole of regressive paternalism.
This paternalism manifests itself in a number of ways, as it is evident in everything, from the Khap Panchayat judgements that banned the use of mobile phone for young girls to colleges that ban female students from wearing jeans, to judges who force compromise on women litigants and eventually to politicians to proclaim that Indian ‘culture' prevents women from going out at during the night. India's inherent paternalism saw the mass slaughter of unborn female foetuses and baby girl children through the 1980's and 1990's. And India will pay the price of this paternalism over the coming two decades as tens of millions of young Indian men will be left without partners. If this single fact does not change the basis of Indian paternalism, then not much can be expected.
However, we as a society must change our attitudes towards women. Not by locking them up, not by telling them what to wear and who to talk to but by letting our girls lead their lives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his maiden independence day speech said that India should take care of and love her daughters. In radio and television advertisements we are reminded that girls can achieve anything. It is, therefore, disappointing that there are members of Mr Modi’s Council of Ministers who say that women should not go out at night. Young people have the right to lead the lives and do what they want to, to fall in love and make mistakes. It is not for anyone to decide what young women should do and who they should be with. This is not Indian culture, it is a culture that fosters inequality and violence against women.
And there is another overwhelming argument for treating India's girls and women equally, and that is one of simple economics. More women will enter the Indian workforce and should be encouraged to enter the Indian workforce every passing year. Girls have always scored higher marks in school-leaving exams and this year topped the civil services examinations. To fuilfil our economic potential that the Government keeps on harping about, we need educated young women not to sit at home but enter productive work. And then, if they wish to spend their money by going out for a drink, big deal! As less than a month remains for the festival where many Indians worship the mother goddess who slew a demon, let us not forget that this is Indian culture. This Goddess treated her sons and daughters equally; in fact it is her daughters that stand next next to her. It is her daughters who are the keepers of wealth and knowledge. let's not forget that even in 2015.