There has already been a lot of talk on Woman Reservation in Nagaland.
I also have something to tell, and if anyone has any Time he or she could discard, this is what I want to say:
It is Human to fill happy when someone gives us Special Treatments. Understandably all Women will feel glad to have the special Woman Reservation. Any Special Treatment given out of love is divine but favorable Treatment given outside of a gracious heart is Partiality and Partiality in the Human Society is Evil.
Any Special public Rights given to any section of the Public is Inequity and devoid of Justice and any Public Right given to Woman in general to compensate her mistreatment in the Society is fundamentally unethical. Any special grant outside of a gracious heart is Partiality.
Instead of granting of subsequent compensatory Reservation Right, the initial fundamental malady of mistreatment in the Society should better first be removed; then, the need for granting of the special compensation would not arise. The worst curse of Caste System and its mentality in the Hindu Society is the malaise of the discriminatory treatment the Untouchables and the woman is subjected in the Hindu Social norms. Once this fundamental discrimination is removed, the need for compensatory special Reservation of Public Rights to be given to the Woman would not arise. The removal of the fundamental initial malady first would remove the subsequent need of compensation.
To illustrate the case: There is Church in Nagaland often organizes Church Sales, of the Free Gifts received from its Members. On such Occasions, the Articles are sold at reasonably low Price so that the Common uncommon-Members could also have a chance to buy the Goods.
But before the Opening of the Sales, some Members of the Church Committee select and separately keep aside as ‘Reserved’ the choicest Articles for themselves; this is anathema to the Gospel of Christ, the Doctrine the Church preaches with zeal.
Similarly, to keep 33 % Seats of all elective public Posts of the Society as ‘RESERVED’ for one specific section of the People alone would be unethical partiality in an open evenhanded practice of the Society.
To give the Way in the Traffic to an emergency Ambulance, Siren ringing its way to the hospital with the injured; to give way to Fire fighting Truck rushing to put down a Fire somewhere in the City, to vacate a Seat to an Old man or an elderly Women on a running Bus, are all acts of good sense of a civilized Society. These Acts are not Partiality to some specific Individuals in the Public.
It is very true; the woman is very often ‘sidelined, neglected and even discriminated in life’ by an uncaring Society and husbands bashing their wife are more in number than there are wives who bash their husbands. Each specific Case needs specific treatment equally according to the Law. It is also true in very many cases, women are no less Intelligent than Men; in fact some Posts in the society are more suited to the woman than man, but all Public Posts in the Land must be open equally to every male or female. Even the Post of the President a Nation is open to Male and Female equally.
Keeping 33 % of all elective Posts in the Land Reserved for Woman alone by Law is, fundamentally Inequity. Public Distribution of Public Rights must be open to everybody Female and Male equally. Every elective Seats need to be open to every Citizen of the land male or female above 18 years and above Age, rich or poor, great or small, degree holders or not, even the Blind or the Deaf, except Liars or Criminals must be equally treated.
Some Nagas say ancestral Land is never given to the Woman; this is not true. It depends on the Giver; Landed Property when in abundance is given to the daughters also.
The Christian Naga will adjust to the Ethical values and good conscience of every Generation. Traditions and Customs of the Naga would never hinder the Naga to Prosperity and Progress of Civilization.
Thepfulhouvi Solo,
IFS Retd (RR-68) Principal Secretary, Retd Nagaland
