When God created man and woman and placed them in the garden, God’s intention was to let them complement each other and not to contradict each other. Yes, both of them were similar and the same in the sense that both were created in the moral image of God. But they were also different in that they were specifically endowed with different physical features as well as different behavioral and sentimental natures with the intention to blend them together perfectly. While the male was designed to lead and be rough, outgoing, brave and dominating, the female was designed to follow and be supportive, submissive, gentle, polite and placid. It is obvious that even their physical features like their voices, heights and figures completely correspond to these wishes and desires of their maker. In other words they were intentionally created by the creator in this manner so that they could blend together perfectly and not only be a source of joy and happiness to God but also fulfill God’s ultimate purpose for their lives.
This is why it is needed that a man should think, act and behave like a man and a woman should also think, act and behave as per the designs for which they were created in the first place. Frankly speaking, there is nothing more dishonorable and disgusting than a man thinking and behaving like a woman or a woman thinking and behaving like a man. Both have their specific roles and obligations to perform and fulfill at home as well as in the society.
Therefore the question of comparing man and woman on any scale or by any standard is absurd and uncalled for. Some people are very fond of bringing up the issue of equality between man and woman and these people are ever ready to challenge so-called male chauvinism at the drop of a hat because according to them, women have always been dominated and mistreated by men throughout the ages and in all societies. But here, what is the logic behind the equality issue of men and women? There is absolutely no doubt that man and woman are equal because both are created as perfectly equal entities by the same creator. The very fact that both the man and the woman were created in the image of God establishes the fact that both are equal and of equal importance to God. But even though they were created as equal entities, they were created and designed differently to meet and cater to different needs and requirements so that they could complement one another.
It is totally absurd to bring up the issue of equality between a bus and a truck because trucks and buses are designed and manufactured for different purposes and to meet different needs and requirements. While a bus is intended to ferry people from one place to another, a truck is intended to ferry loads of heavy goods, materials and commodities. Thus it is absolutely absurd to say ‘a truck is not equal to a bus or a bus is inferior or superior to a truck’. Such is the absolute absurdity of bringing up the equality issue between man and woman.
To make my point clearer and explicit, let me also take the example of airplane and ship. It is also sheer stupidity to make a comparison between an airplane and a ship simply because they are designed and manufactured for different purposes and to fulfill different needs and callings. While a plane is designed to fly in the air, a ship is designed to flow in waters and each has potentials that can meet needs which the other cannot fulfill. A plane has speed and it can fly in the air…… but it cannot flow in waters. Similarly, ships can be much more gigantic than planes and can ferry much more heavier and multiple things…… even though it is slow and cannot fly in the air. But each has its own plus-points and can meet different needs and requirements under different circumstances and can prove to be quite complementary to one another. Such is also the case with man and woman. So why do some people always bring up this absurd issue of equality between man and woman? By doing so, they make a mockery of themselves.
By all these allegations, I don’t mean to say that a woman’s place is only at home or in the kitchen and bedroom or to play a supplementary or supportive role to man. I don’t mean this because there can be exceptions. Indeed, there have been many instances where women have splendidly outdone, outshone and led the men-folk in all areas. History is a testimony to this phenomenon and history can certainly repeat itself anytime anywhere (even here in Nagaland). There are many women out there who are actually much smarter and doing much better than their male counterparts in every areas of life and it is a joy to witness that we live in an age and society where women are given equal opportunities to fulfill their dreams and aspirations. And these women deserve all our support and encouragement. Yes, these equal opportunities should continue unabated so that our womenfolk can work and walk shoulder to shoulder with the men in all possible fields.
Today in our society, a woman can become a doctor, an engineer, a bureaucrat, a scientist, a legislator, a minister, a chief minister or even a prime minister if she has the caliber in her. If one day the government were to come out with a law banning women from becoming a bureaucrat, legislator or a minister, I would be among the first persons to protest against such a law. Yes, I would protest against such an unjust law because there may be women who have greater potentials and who can fare better than most men in these fields. And in our democratic set-up, it is indeed a joy to see that the doors to these professions are already wide open for any women to come and prove themselves before the whole society. So why do they need a special door and special reservation again to enter these fields? This is the million dollar question. I guess these women are demanding this special door and special reservation because they have the wrong conception that they are being mistreated and sidelined and because they feel they need to go out and compete with the men in every field without realizing that men and women are supposed to play complementary roles to one another rather than competing and contradicting one another simply on grounds of ego and prejudice.
Here let me also add a note from my diary. I taught in a govt. school in a remote Ao village some years back. During this time, I was once made the class teacher of a class and given the prerogative to select a class captain. Without any second thought, I straightaway chose a girl to be the class captain much to the surprise of the students and the teachers. I chose this girl to be the class captain because she was smart, outspoken, outgoing, more of an extrovert and had good communication skills in comparison to her classmates. In my opinion, she was the one most suited to be the class captain and the fact that she was a girl (and not a boy) did not at all bother me. This is the view with which I see the present imbroglio over women reservation. If a woman has the potential and caliber to enter and shine in any field, she can definitely do so even if there is no special women reservation. And if the door is already wide open (as in our system today) …where is the need for a special door or special reservation again? Yes, if there is any Naga woman out there who has the caliber in her and has been destined by God Himself to become a legislator, a minister, an MP or even a chief minister, she can definitely do so even if there is no special door or special reservation for women. But let us also recall here that everybody (whether man or woman) is not destined to become a cult figure or a political icon. Therefore one should not fool oneself or make a laughing stock of oneself by trying to become one such figure.
This is not an article for or against women reservation. This is also not an article written by a sexist or women-hater. Rather this is a write-up coming out from the mind of a person who believes that we look the best and the most beautiful only when we are playing the roles and the responsibilities which our Creator Himself has bestowed upon us…….. And Yes, I feel the happiest only when I see things around me in their right orders…
