Much has already been said, heard, written and read about the demand for women reservation in our legislative bodies. For quite sometime now, this has been one of the hottest topic amongst us. For the last many months I thought that it would be best for me to respectfully withhold my comments on this topic. This is so because this topic happens to be a very sensitive and delicate one wherein a person’s viewpoints once openly revealed could easily disappoint or even hurt the sentiments of many.
However, considering the fact that we are all proud and honorable citizens of a democratic set-up where everyone has the right and freedom to express his or her own ideas and thoughts, I would like to finally pen down a few of my own thoughts and ideas on this topic.
Let me begin with some references to the Holy Scriptures. In the book of Genesis, we find that when God created Eve and brought her to Adam, she was intended to be a friend, companion and helper of Adam. God did not mean her to compete or fight with Adam over any issue or matter. Rather she was to be a supplement and supporter of Adam because God had seen that Adam was very lonely, miserable and isolated without a companion and He did not like this. In other words, Eve was intended to make the life of the man (Adam) complete and satisfactory in every sense and from every angle.
When God created Eve out of the ribs of Adam while he was deep asleep and brought her to him, Adam saw that she was extremely beautiful and lovely and Adam accepted her as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. She was like him but she was also different and they were meant to supplement and complement each other as they inherit the beautiful Eden garden from God himself.
From these accounts, it becomes crystal clear that God never intended man and woman to compete or fight with each other. Rather they were meant to make each other’s lives complete by living as companions, supporters and helpers.
Moreover, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit and were chased away from the Eden garden, God did not pronounce the same curse for Adam and Eve. The curse that God pronounced upon Adam was totally different from the one that He pronounced upon Eve. This meant that even though God created both Adam and Eve in His own image and as equals and even though both of them were equally precious in his sight, he had different intentions for the man and the woman. Thus, from these accounts, it becomes clear that the role to be played by a man in life is meant to be totally different from that to be played by a woman.
When I go to an airport, I expect to see airplanes and not buses and trains. This is so because airports are meant for airplanes just as a railway station is meant for trains and a bus station for buses. Likewise I believe that man and woman also have its proper respective places in the set-up established by God himself. Of course, there are roles and parts which both men and women can play. But we also cannot deny that men are much more suited and well-equipped than women for some roles. Likewise, women can also far outdo men in playing out many roles and parts. However, the truth remains that a man can never take the place of a woman and vice versa.
Therefore for me, the demand for women reservation in our law-making bodies is one of the most irritating, ridiculous and uncalled-for demand that I have come across in recent years. What is the need for this kind of demand in the first place when our Naga women are also actually availing all the benefits and opportunities along with the men folk? Women of Nagaland are today working shoulder to shoulder with men in all our departments and in all other professions and areas that we can think of. So where does the question of discrimination arise and what is the logic behind the demand for women reservation in our law-making bodies?
Here, I do not mean to say that women are meant to be found only in kitchens and bedrooms. But if a woman really wants to serve our people by becoming a member of our legislative bodies, I believe there is no reason why she cannot do it…… provided she has the right political connections or leadership quality or charisma in her. To support my argument I can cite numerous instances here. For instance, women like Hillary Clinton of the USA and Angela Merkel of Germany do not belong to countries where there are reservations for women in the law-making bodies. But these women are outstandingly running the affairs of their countries because they had the charisma and the requisite leadership attributes in them. Or to cite an instance from nearer our home, we have the now world acclaimed leader Aung-Sang-Sui of Myanmar. Against overwhelming odds, this woman has been leading a democratic movement to overthrow the tyranny of militarism in Myanmar for over two decades now. And in doing so, she has risked her own self and everything that she holds dear to her. She is now a world acclaimed political figure, a Noble Peace Price winner and an inspiration for many around the globe.
I feel that I would not be the right person to write about the position, condition or plight (if any) of the Naga women in the bygone eras. But as far as the position and condition of Naga women during my lifetime is concerned, I can safely say that Naga women have never been discriminated against in any manner. In schools and colleges they avail the same privileges as availed by the boys and share the same benches and desks with them. And in each and every department of our government and in every other sectors and fields they are walking shoulder to shoulder with the men-folk. In fact they are far excelling the men in many areas. So, where does the question of discrimination arise……I fail to understand.
It was a welcome surprise for me when some of our village councils voiced their disapproval for this women reservation sometime back. I believe these village councils did this not because they are anti-women but because they understand these realities and truths.
To give birth to a child, a mother has to undergo a great deal of pain. In fact, the labor pain which a mother undergoes during childbirth is said to be one of the most intense and acute pain imaginable. When we see this, it may seem unfair to us that a mother has to suffer so much during childbirth while the father remains literally untouched and undisturbed by any physical pain. Yes, it does seem unfair but there is nothing that can be done…because this is what God or nature endowed us with. Likewise there may also be many things which do seem unfair and unintelligible. But the truth is this has been the way since the beginning of the world. So why try to change something already established and set-up by God in the first place.
I am also not under-estimating women. I have no doubt that some women can be very good and effective public dealers, good law-makers, good decision-takers and visionary administrators. And if they have these in them, what is the need for reservation. Because even without reservation, they can make it to any top political position they want. They only things they would probably require here are the right opportune time to come their way and the hand of the almighty guiding them along….
However, if some women still feel that they are discriminated against unless they are given reservation in our law-making bodies, then I really feel sorry for them because something is really wrong with their mind-set and way of thinking. These are the women who usually make the celebration of International Women’s Day different from that of Children’s Day. When children celebrate Children’s Day on 14th November, they do not hold any grudges against grown-ups or adults. In other words they celebrate their day in the right spirit without considering adults and grown-ups as their oppressors or rivals. But why is it that some women always tend to celebrate Women’s Day with the perception that men are their oppressors and rivals. Today I have a three years old daughter myself… but I am the last person to think that she has no future ahead of her without the so-called women reservations in our law-making bodies. I know that even without this, a bright future awaits her and the areas and potentials which she can explore are indeed limitless.
It is said that only fools rush in where angels fear to tread. And by writing these things I know that I am setting my foot upon enemy territory. I also know very well that this kind of write-ups will fetch me more foes than friends. But I write because I strongly feel about these things. I am not anti-woman. In fact my life would not be worth living without women around. Life is beautiful because women are there but everything is acceptable, lovely and charming only when it is found in its proper assigned and allotted place. For instance, men will never find a woman attractive or charming if she has a male voice and speaks like a man.
Lastly, let me conclude by saying that man and woman are not contradictory to one another. Rather they are complementary to one another…..one without the other is incomplete. And they are to complement and supplement each other by playing out their roles and parts assigned to them by God himself. If man and woman are to start laying claims over the roles and parts of the other that would be tantamount to challenging God’s own designs and set-ups……… and the beauty of life and nature itself would be lost. Therefore, when our own plates are full and overflowing, what is the need of fighting over another’s plate……….
We already have enough issues at hand to deal with. So, why should we waste our time, resources and energy trying to make issues out of non-issues…
