Re: Pratibha Patil - First Women President of India
Women on top? Poof!
26 Jul 2007, 0015 hrs IST,Diya Sengupta
So we finally have a woman as president. Big deal. While announcing Pratibha Patil’s candidature, Sonia Gandhi hailed her nomination as a “historic occasion”.
According to the ever-delightful Sonia, it was a true symbol of women’s empowerment in India. Yes, she really thinks we are stupid enough to buy that line! Truth be told, one was downright disgusted, and insulted, when a woman as president of India was equated with the overall empowerment of women in the country.
It is obvious that Pratibha emerged as the top choice mainly due to her loyalty to Gandhi-Nehru family. That, along with the fact that she was a compromise candidate, what with the Left sticking to its guns and spiking the candidature of other pros-pective candidates.
The presidential post is merely a ceremonial one in India. Real executive powers are vested in the council of ministers, headed by the prime minister. Thus, it is clear that the only ones who will benefit from Pratibha the president is the UPA government and not the women of India.
On another note, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to compare a woman president with the common women of India. Women in our land have been worshipped as Durga, Saraswati and what not. The bahu’ of the house is called ghar ki Lakshmi’.
To an outsider it would seem that the women of India enjoy high status and respect, equalled only by the reverence we reserve for our gods. And they do, but only in name. On one hand, we Indians chant various incantations praising women and on the other, we feel no qualms in suppressing them in more ways than can be counted. The same ghar ki Lakshmi’ is beaten to pulp if she fails to bring a hefty dowry or bear a boy child.
And that is just one example of the many atrocities inflicted upon women. Women in India, like the president, have a ceremonial high post in society. Go ahead, fete Pratibha on her victory. Just don’t call it women’s empowerment. It is a symbolic sham and means very little.