(BiharTimes) Few weeks back the intellect and the varities of media was battling for women reservation and why am putting specific to them is that, I happen to travel to village where this was non-issue or sort of overdose of reservation hence nobody found talking on reservation. This creep a thought; is democracy for few or at least few who shapes all policy making in democracy or a mob that does. But one thing which is apparent everytime is defying of logic , reasons and quality welfare of mass. In this case also logic and repercussions are given a pass over rhetoric and supposedly winnibility. The example could be seen by country over the reservation given for job to different section since inception of independence and has not borne fruits for all if it has been then those section of society had been pull out of the quota as they have attain the parity with rest. Rather there has been continuous demand for addition of sect in the existing quota. The demand for same is going to rise with passage of time as it is easier to attain once aspiration through easy means rather slogging day and night out. It is also going to rise as it infuses confidence to society of achieving anything with a mob on their back. This makes me feel if democracy is more of mobocracy than anything else though few people will show different statements from greats to prove how good is it but am putting what am seeing in country since inceptions. The logic is similar to rise of GDP can lessen number of empty stomach or reduced price. Certainly not, one doesn’t want more explanation on it. The system is extensively myopic to enable people to demand quotas among quota. Hence it is never ending process as lust for power through ill means will always defy any sort of logic and introspection.
With circus on in parliament everybody has different reasons to be part of it except welfare of woman in society. Congress was initiating it with the view that women will vote in flock favoring them the way minority or any other section that has been lure with different appeasement have done. Laloo , Mulayam & Maya wanted quota among quota to suit their political and personal goals. Mamta abstain as she was not begged for support or probably she has a concern on minority fallout in her state. The BJP, Communist & section of JD joined the excitement in order not to miss national show and to show goodness towards fairer sex. The congress probably miscalculating it as women doesn’t vote differently than their kin and kith in general. The liking of Laloo & Mulayam could earn some brownie points with logic of exploiting the sentiments of Backward and Muslims who could support them on that ground. Here also women can’t go against the virtue of family and respective society. We all will agree about level of politicians in public life is wanting and with seats reserve for women, level will stoop further because of lack of pool of women candidate forget the eligible one. This will big time encourage Likes of Nehru-Indira- Rajiv- Sonia- Rahul, Laloo- Rabri, Mulayam- son- brother, Karunanidhi- Stalin- Kazimore sort of scenario where established politician will take over the public space created for commoner under alibi of women reservation and insufficient number of women in public domain.
There are hoards of people giving example of women reservation in Bihar and going up to extent of propagating how it is changing Bihar. A human who knows Bihar will scratch self on such a big white lie. There are not a single example where women is only doing good because of reservation but abundance of folklore where their public status has been misused by their kin and kith in general and husband in particular. The stories of Chief Minister ship of Rabri Devi should be recall to recast how inadequately she was equipped to handle the reins of state and repercussions thereafter. The inability of public figure at power will always inspire misuse of status, many of them who is not cable for the position (includes man / woman) is inundated with corruption charges and on run. Most of them are praying to get their term over as soon as possible to get rid of the position. There have been always two ideologies for a problem: one is reformation, education, awareness and enabling people with requisite skill set to take up the position or meet aspiration. The second one is short cut (cut other short to reach where you want) to requisite which is obsessively prevalent in today’s time as this doesn’t rub you to groom yourself for the position and virus of dysfunctional system prevalent across is resultant of latter. Examples after examples were thrown on how different countries in world have given reservation to women including Pakistan & Bangladesh and were wondering how it has changed the status of women in our neighbours? The fact is well known and this could have given a cue that reservation is not a solution to the problem rather impacts should have been measured than becoming a copy cat. The answer to the question, “Is condition of women in these countries better than women of India and am sure this doesn’t require any further discourse”.
There was a time (longer than present era of reservation) where status of women was equivalent to man without reservation. The children were know by name of mother and had just position in society. The status was such that society enables them to select their husband in swayamber. The rape and atrocities of different kind which is so prevalent in present time was unheard off. Those where the days when focus was on processes and character building than achievement as result is outcome of many things done before it not other way . In my view this tussle in nation was from pre- independence where one section wanted to enable nation in all respect to achieve what nation wanted that is independence where as second section believed in racing to end hence roughshod all in the way. Since latter got more prevalent post independence hence the process of character building never started in the country thus the importance of nation, independence and other element of strong nation was never valued. This section over period of time built culture of reaching to end without starting the process and can be visualize with example: a child who is not taught alphabet but given an opportunity to write a book. You can yourself imagine what will happen to book and same is fate of our country India where nationhood is define with some sort of reservation…
Next time you don’t deserve anything by virtue of competencies than go for reservation..
Sudeep Singh
The views expressed by the author are personal.
