My idea of a modern Indian women

New Delhi is now more famous for rapes and notorious peeps than its culture and rich natural heritage. China calls it a rape capital of the world. Situation has grown out of proportions after the last year gang rape which ignited the souls of citizens. What followed was the politicization of issue on the question of criminal law. Now that we have a new criminal law but in a same old ecosystem of policing and social behaviour.  

Women and Feminism

Does empowerment come only when women assert for it? Can't a women be given her due as a right, not by law but by society? Majority of Indian women may not even understand the dictionary meaning of the word feminism, let alone realizing it on their own. But their aspirations are new and their eyes look for a equal space and a safer environment.

My thought went against the spirit when I saw the infinite endurance of protesters in last 2 years.. I never thought a mass movement could sustain for so long challenging the diktat of patriarchy. Also i was sure that movies based on women issue and presenting solely women could never be commercially successful in India. But in last two years films like Kahaani, Highway and Queen  did well on box-office. In a country where movies are widely followed and considered as another part of culture, is a good sign. It may be the gang rape which captured the imagination of India, showing its initial signs of a social change. Whatever it was i was so wrong.

But something is missing.. Increasing rate of rapes; okay it might be that reporting is now increased but still they are increasing in number. May be women groups have slowed down? May be the powerful women have lost interest to be a part of change? May be most of the women are expecting from their counterparts to give them back their natural right of equality? or may be they are working silently for a bigger revolution? Whatever, I see their assertion of feminism, if at all, hollow and much less than expected after criminal law amendment.

Extremes can't be applied in a country with ethos of moderate outlook. India is a country of neither male chauvinists nor feminists. And i hope that it'll never be a society of extremes. I have experienced India as a country of people with maximum love and comparatively less curiosity and critical outlook. We are people of dead tradition & language on the back. Possibly yes, we are changing but with a contradictory trend. 

What Does a women want

She want that her life is not dependent on her man and Her man gives her liberty as much he himself enjoys.They don't want a space in form of goddess, but want to come in fore with kalyug realities.

But how to create space for modern women? There are people who do not appreciate gender but appreciate only talented and competent. And I have always believed that one who was not given suitable opportunity but is competent, can run mountains for you if given a chance to show his/her caliber. So women have to occupy most of the space based on their competency. But then how competency will be developed in every women, when not all are reared to excel in jobs and services? 

If a special pool of women seeking employment could be made and given jobs in suitable places. A partnership of Govt, private sector and group of empowered women could bring such a system. Here is an important role of empowered women to not abdicate from their class responsibility. For a social change, which is slow and gradual, could come when economic change becomes a tale of the time. One reason why India got its independence was that It was no more a milking cow for Brits.
Women at larger independent places must act as a visionary and bring their vision to the understanding of common Indian women; In terms of what is achievable rather than high sounding words. This was the beauty of Gandhi and Savarkar, there was absolutely no difference in their opinion and actions. Both of them were followed by masses and both were strong critics of e/o. women visionaries must have to think in a way that how a women living in rural India and a women living in urban India connect equally to their ideas.

Three sections to start with

1. Widows: These women face the dual tragedy. One that they have lost their source of income and second, the societal disregard. The conclusion of this dual tragedy is social seclusion. 

2. Divorcee: most are young and strive for the source of income. Settlement of income b/w separating couple is a tardy process and lacks uniformity because of non-existence of uniform civil code in India. The result is sub optimal or no settlement at all.

3. A young, modern middle class graduate: Women in early 20's with least societal and family pressures are adventurous and full of potential.

I'm sure that if women talent of India can be put to best use, they will be equal partners in India's growth story. A dream of an Indian society which is unique not just in tradition but only in the world thriving on gender equality.