Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Women empowerment – a must!' that was published in Newsband

Women empowerment – a must!

The Indian political system should be made more advanced. The fact that so many women in India are denied their right to leave their home, navigate safe public places and go to work proves that there are many loopholes in our system.

Women in India are made to believe that they have to observe ‘Lakshman rekha’ which is a line they should not cross. As per the Indian mythology, Sita in Ramayana was abducted by Ravana when she crossed this line. Hence the Indian women are made to believe that they too will be kidnapped if they dared to cross this line.

How can a country which believes in such a myth enjoy economic growth and modernization? One politician declared that rapes occurred in India, and not in Bharat, when he was questioned about the continuing caste-based assaults on women across north Indian villages. He then went on to explain that relationships between men and women were a contract, which women were capable of breaking, and losing the protection that they gained thereby.

A big part of urban India ape Western culture. That is the reason why in urban areas we find women working, entering into equal relationships with men. They are not seen as repositories of virtue or as having to meet impossible ethical standards.  

The men of rural areas and also a part of urban region are against women empowerment and condemn it in many words. These people are misogynists and wouldn’t like to see women in India enjoy the kind of freedom their western counterparts enjoy.

Even the Left parties in India have all displayed streaks of misogyny of late. The backlash against female empowerment is clearly visible. It is strange that few voices are condemning this attitude. This kind of attitude is repugnant.

Any party that believes in total development of India should ensure that women are freed from all the shackles. In India’s cities, only 26 per cent of women work; in China’s, the equivalent proportion is 65 per cent. It is high time more women in India joined the workforce. Economic and social reformists should come forward in big number and talk in favour of women empowerment. We need to be ruled by the people who will show the daring of passing bills in the Parliament that will favour women. Only then will India progress in every field, may it be social, economic, educational, health etc.