Tazeem Haider | India Tomorrow
New Delhi, March 8— Despite much-touted and much-publicized “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” slogan and related schemes of the present central government and some state governments, hardly anything has changed on the ground. On the International Women’s Day on March 8, several women living in Delhi have boldly spoken about their issues – rise in crimes against women, social inequality etc. – and their expectations from the government and society.
“None is safe, be it a child or a grown-up woman. The ill mentality of people should be changed. Women should get a civilized society where they could live properly,” says Neelam, a tutor by profession. “Women should get the right to equality and a society free from exploitation,” she adds.
She does not want to give any marks to the present government on women welfare front.
“I think the present government, which perhaps is completing its term within a few weeks, has given nothing to us. The mentality throughout the government prevailed was ‘Manuvadi’. The government never gave the rights of women to them. The government has done nothing for women,” says Neelam.
Poonam Kaushik, a social activist, also has complaints against the government.
“You are not giving jobs to women. Girls after professional courses are not getting jobs. They are forced to work on contracts. Whether she is a scientist, teacher, doctor, fashion designers or any other professional degree holders, there are no jobs. The conditions of the available jobs are very poor. Except a few multinational corporates, no one is getting even the minimum wage of Rs 16,000 per month as declared by the government,” says Poonam.
Zarina from Haiderpur area in Delhi says: “I demand from the government equal right as availed by men. Women do not get the wages they are promised on paper. Modi government is saying “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” (Save the daughter, educate the daughter) but girls would only be saved when there is a ban on wine and hooliganism. Once the hooliganism is banned, daughters would be automatically saved”.
Shabeena, a student of University of Delhi said “Today is International Women’s Day. On this day, the government should pass stricter laws to save the women, so that they would not remain unsafe. And they should be given more and more chances in terms of employment”.
Ameena, a student of University of Delhi said: “I would like to tell that women do not feel safe in any walks of life. Whether they are on road, bus, train or in college, home or anywhere in society, they are not safe. We demand the government to pass strict laws for the safety of women — a law which could guarantee full safety for women, wherever they are.”
The women also raised the issue of sexual harassment online and offline. The abusive trolling of women on Twitter and other social media platforms is great cause of concern for them.
Poonam says: “There is highest online abuse against women in India. I think offline situation is not good for women either. Because the kind of culture India has, a dictate imperialist culture, dictate corporate culture and feudal culture, is not good. The ruling class is promoting the multinational corporate houses. The foreign companies do not come alone, they come here with their culture. What is that culture? A culture of selling. Women’s body is a commodity and only for exhibition for them…so that the multinational companies could sell their products. In such an environment the whole of the human being, be it a 10-year-old boy, 17-year-old-teenager, 50-year-old man or 70-year-old elderly, for him a woman is just a thing for use whether she is a 6-month infant, 10-year-old girl child, 20-year-old young woman or old women of 50 or 70 years.”
