Womens Reservation Bill

Everyone thunders on equality between sexes but when it come to crunch the bias comes out strongly. Let us not forget that the 33% reservation in the legislatures and parliament is waiting for more than a decade. Apart from that the unwillingness to concede seats to women is blatantly clear. Each one boosts that he is the genuine partisan for gender equality.

As for the present claims of honoring women because a woman is nominated to contest for nation's president, less said is the better. As you know Prathibha Patil is not the first choice from the congress nor from the left. After struggling with many names for which no consensus was found Sonia threw this name. The lady is not the first women governer in India. That should go to Sarojini Naidu the legendary nigtingale of India. Nehru made her governor of UP or so. During the last presidential elections the legendary heroine of the Indian National Army of Subhas Chandra Bose; Laxmi Seghal was the nominee of left. But the congress did not support. They joined to vote for Kalam. At no point of time the polital parties choose women in the first instance.

As for the personal worth of Mrs Patil, I have my reservations. Rajdeep Sardesai has writen an article in today's Hindustan Times on this subject and I mostly agree with his observations. However, the present calculations are that the chance for Patil are bright. The popular Kalam made himself a fool after refusing to stand at the first instance and then consenting when approached by a so called third front.

By the way as of today nothing will change with a woman in Rashtrapati Bhawan. But one should admire the calculating Sonia for out smarting all. Enough for present.

By K.N. Krishnan