Women Empowerment - A Reality or Myth

The Government of India had ushered in the new millennium by declaring the year 2001 as 'Women's Empowerment Year' to focus on a vision 'where women are equal partners like men'. The most familiar account of 'women's empowerment' is the capability to apply full control over one's actions. The last decades have witnessed some major changes in the status and role of women in our society and nation. There has been a shift in policy approaches from the concept of 'welfare' in the seventies to 'development' in the eighties and now it is to 'empowerment' in the nineties. This process has been further accelerated with some sections of women becoming increasingly self-conscious of their discrimination in several areas of family and public life. They are also in a position to mobilise themselves on issues that can affect their overall position. “The special attention is given to the needs and problems of women as one of the “weaker sections” of Indian society, and recognition of political equality was undoubtedly a radical departure from the norms prevailing in traditional India.”^_1                                              
Live examples to support such changes are:

• Indra Nooyi: CFO & President of PepsiCo
• Naina Lal Kidwai: Country Head, HSBC India
• Kiran Mazumdar Shaw: Owner, Biocon India
• Indu Jain: Chairman, Times Group
• Priya Paul: Chairperson, Apeejay Park Hotels
• Simone Tata: Chairperson, Lakme
• Neelam Dhawan: Managing Director, Microsoft India
• Meera Sanyal: Banking and Finance.
• Ekta Kapoor: Film and Television.
• Permeshwari Godrej: Industry, Fashion and Publication.
• Meenakshi Lekhi: Legal.
• Shyama Chona: Education.
• Shobha Dey: Novelist, Journalist, Columnist.
• Indu Jain: Print Media.
• Sushma Swaraj.

So the list goes on….
The latest disturbing news items regarding violence committed against women reveal that women's position has worsened. Tulsidas' verse from Ramayana 'Dhor, janwar, shudra, pashu, nari ye sub taden ke adhikari' although it was written in different context, highlights the discrimination and deep-rooted gender bias which still exists in all sectors of society on the basis of gender, caste, religious affiliation and class. Political leaders, intellectuals, and academicians etc.have aggravated the situation. All the males from all sections of society want the reservation and other so-called positive preferences but when reservation and preferential treatments are extended to women, they all join together in denying these benefits to women.
   The Constitution of India grants equality to women in all fields of life.  But it is still only on paper. Yet a large number of women are either ill-equipped or not in a position to push themselves out of their traditionally unsatisfactory and unequal socio-economic conditions. They are still poor, uneducated and insufficiently trained. They are most often wrapped up in the struggle to maintain the family physically and emotionally and as a canon are discouraged from taking interest in affairs outside home and family matters. Oppression and atrocities on women are still rampant. Patriarchy continues to be rooted in the social system in all parts of India, denying a majority of women the choice to decide on how they live. The dominant magnitude of community in a patriarchal sense ensures that women rarely have an independent say even in community issues.
Female infanticide continues to be very common. Statistics show that there is still a very high preference for a male child in states like UP, MP, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, J&K., etc. The male to female ratio is very high in these states. Domestic violence is also widespread and is also associated with the dowry. Leaving a meagre number of urban and suburban women, Indian women are still crying for social justice. When it comes to empowering women through reservation and quotas, all the male groups unite in denying this to women. Even groups like SC, ST, OBC, Muslim etc., who have been enjoying quotas since decades, and even on zero merits in certain cases, oppose vociferously when reservation and quotas are planned to give women.
What national policies must now propose is, therefore, comprehensive and inclusive rather than exclusive. That would still require considerable affirmative and specific attention to the special needs of girls and women, without contradicting the fundamental point of equality in development and thus in motivation for development. Nor does it ignore the special challenges posed by culture, religion, and the allocation of duties and activities to one of the other sex. ^_2
A review of government's various programmes for women empowerment such as Swashakti, Swayamsidha, Streeshakti, Balika Samridhi Yojana and other two thousand projects reveal that little has been done or achieved through these programmes. Most of the schemes are completed in files only and money is syphoned by corrupt individuals or groups. In the name of women’s empowerment, a large number of N.G.O.s and activist can be seen but all are making fast bucks and doing little. The discrepancy in the ideology and practice of the empowerment policy of women in India constitutes its continued social, economic and social backwardness. Women are almost half of the total population. Women make up around 49% of our country's total population. Hence there can be no progress unless their needs and interests are fully met. If half of the total population is kept backwards country or society cannot progress. Empowerment would not hold any meaning unless they are made strong, alert and aware of their equal status and right in the society. Policies should be framed to bring them into the mainstream of society. It is important to educate the women. The need of the hour is to improve female literacy as education holds the key to development.
Empowerment would become more relevant if women are educated, better informed and can take rational decisions. It is also necessary to sensitise the other sex towards women. It is important to usher in changes in societal attitudes and perceptions with regard to the role of women in different spheres of life. Adjustments have to be made in traditional gender specific performance of tasks. A woman needs to be physically healthy so that she is able to take challenges of equality. But it is sadly lacking in a majority of women especially in the rural areas. They have unequal access to basic health resources and lack adequate counselling. The result is an increasing risk of unwanted and early pregnancies, HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases. The greatest challenge is to recognise the obstacles that stand in the way of their right to good health. To be useful to the family, community and the society, women must be provided with health care facilities.
In a rapidly changing and culturally differentiated society, a slow process of adjustment in its social value system and rigidity of its institution results in various forms of incongruous behaviour. The changing social patterns without restructuring or redefine social values and norms always cause deviant behaviour. Structural changes in the socio-economic system are needed for a smooth process of adjustment^._3
In agriculture sector too situation is very pitiable. Most of the women work in agricultural sector either as workers, in household farms or as wage workers. Yet it is specifically income in agriculture that has tended to become more unstable and insecure in recent years and women cultivators have therefore been negatively affected. The government's policies for alleviating poverty have failed to make any desirable results, as women do not receive appropriate wages for their labour. There is also a significant amount of unpaid or non-marketed labour within the household. The increase in gender disparity in wages in the urban areas is also quite marked as it results from the employment of women in different and lower-paying activities. They are exploited at various levels. They should be provided with proper wages and work at par with men so that their status can be elevated in society. “While rural women have become marginally visible in the anti-poverty programmes, they have not been adequately recognised in agricultural development, land reform, or rural industrialisation. Non-recognition of women in agriculture has many implications.”^_4
In recent years there have been open moves to increase women's political participation. The Women's reservation policy bill is, however, a very sad story as it is repeatedly being scuttled in parliament. In the Panchayati Raj system, however, women have been given representation as a sign of political empowerment. There are many elected women representatives at the village council level. However, their power is restricted, as practically, it is the men who wield all the authority. Their decisions are often over-ruled by the government machinery. It is crucial to train and give real power to these women leaders so that they can catalyse change in their villages regarding women. All this shows that the process of gender equality and women's empowerment still has a long way to go and may even have become more difficult in the recent years.
The main reason for the contradiction is that targeted schemes tend to have the only limited impact when the basic push of development is not reaching an average woman, making her life more fragile and weak. To make a positive change basic infrastructure should be provided to women in every village and city. To begin with, providing safe drinking water supply and better sanitation not only directly improved the lives and health of women but also reduces their workload in terms of provisioning and ensuring such facilities. An access to affordable cooking fuel reduces the need to trek lengthy distances in search of fuel wood. Improved transport connecting villages with each other and with towns can also directly improve living conditions as well as unpaid labour time spent in transporting household items. It can also lead to access to a wider range of goods and services plus a better access to health facilities. Expenditure on food subsidy and improved provisions for public distribution services directly affect the lives of women and girl children in terms of adequate nutrition. The patterns of resource mobilisation by the government also have significant effects on women that are usually not recognised. When taxes are regressive and fall disproportionately on items of mass consumption, once again these tend to affect women more. This is not only because the consumption of such items may be curtailed but also because the provisioning of such items is frequently considered to be the responsibility of the women of the household. Also, credit policies reduce the flow of credit to small-scale enterprises thus reducing the employment opportunities for women. There is a need to have women-friendly economic policies that can enhance their social and economic position and make them self-reliant.
The concept of womanhood has greatly influenced in shaping the behaviour and the standard of values among the women of all classes and regions. So-much-so that even after the revolutionary changes in the social structure in India, one often comes to a traditional behaviour even among the women of upper classes. ^-5
There is no doubt about the fact that development of women has always been the central focal point of planning since Independence. Empowerment is a major step in this direction but it has to be seen in a relational context. A clear vision is needed to remove the obstacles to the path of women's emancipation both from the government and women themselves. Efforts should be directed towards all round development of each and every section of Indian women by giving them their due share. But still, the outlook about women has not been changed. Even women themselves do not relish and support the idea of women empowerment. Recently central government raised a women unit of National Security Guards but nobody was ready to keep them as guards. Even women politicians like J.Jaylalitha and Mayawati refused to take their services.
Jaya, Maya say no to women commando: New Delhi: The National Guard on Tuesday for the first time showcased its women commando unit –trained in all forms of combat and ready to take on all contingencies. The government, however, is in a fix on how to use these commandos after former U.P., C.M. Mayawati and Tamilnadu C.M. J.Jayalalitha refused to have women as their ‘shadows’. ^-6
According to some estimates, women stand for 70 percent of the world’s poor. Our leaders should implement a clear and focused measure for implementing sustainable development in the world. The potential for women's leadership in the protection, management, and recovery of the natural environment is the key element for a sustainable world.
Economic empowerment and environmental sustainability
Sustainable existing has become the new trend in way of life choices that involves a person’s relationship to the Earth and the natural resources used by that person. Sustainable living has a different definition for each of its adherents, but the basic concept is living in the way that leaves natural resources for future generations. To accomplish this goal, people must not demand to consume more resources than are available and, in some cases, even have a positive effect on natural resources by helping to replenish them. By not overusing resources, they are given the opportunity to naturally refill themselves. As women are first mothers, hence they are the first teacher of a child. So they can develop a very sensitive awareness about protecting the environment in a child’s mind and behaviour.
The policy on sustainable development calls for the movement to take action in building just and sustainable communities, taking into account a gender and human rights approach, and acknowledging that social equity and care for the environment are critical elements in the development process. Sustainable development, including women’s economic justice and the environment, should be a global priority. But our country is far behind in this approach.
‘Women in India least empowered”- Melbourne: India has been ranked at a poor 115 by a global survey which looked into the level of economic empowerment of women in 128 countries.
 The list was topped by Australia and followed by three Scandinavian countries- Norway, Sweden and Finland. At the bottom of the list were Yemen, Pakistan, Sudan and Chad. The research done by a global consulting and management firm Booz & Company ranked India at 115 and noted with the second largest population of the world, India generates 14 percent of the global talent pool, among which are the 5.5 million women entering India’s workforce each year; all driven to succeed. ^-7
The eight Millennium Development Goals touch every aspect of this work. In addition to holding our governments responsible, women must build the political will to be part of the solutions. We must ensure for a society where the right of entry to education, health and clean water, and the care for the environment is ensured. Women’s leadership can also help identify any hindrances to achieving these goals, and campaign for the removal of these obstacles. For example, if school fees hinder girls from staying in schools, then we must insist that countries work towards providing free education. Around the world must begin to tell our stories within the framework of the goals so that our efforts will combine with others to make a difference.
Girls given the back seat: ….The study shows that at age nine, 41.2 percent boys were attending private schools as compared to 28.8 percent girls. Parents spend up to Rs.1,932 per annum on boys but the spending comes down to Rs.1,228 in case of 8 years old. But the gap increases with age. A family spends about Rs.3,384 on a boy when he is 15 year of age but only Rs. 1,717 on 1 girl in the same age group.
The lack of proper toilet facilities remains a major reason for girls being absent from schools and even dropping out. The Supreme Court earlier this month all States and Union Territories to ensure basic toilet facilities, particularly for girls, are provided in all schools within six months. The survey found that girls may be absent each month during menstruation period because of lack of adequate sanitation gender segregated toilets at schools.^-8
Violence against Women: Ending stigma and discrimination
As per the experience in my country India, violence against women prevails everywhere. But the women of the poor countries are the worst sufferer. The elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls should always be a priority. It is our responsibility to reinforce efforts on advocacy and services that would ensure women and girls can live lives free of violence. At least one out of every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Violence against women is a global problem and women and girls are susceptible to abuse and violence at every stage of their life.
A society that understands the impact and effects of violence against women is better versed in addressing the issues at government and policy level. Education on violence against women must be integrated with programs that reach different sectors of society including men and boys. Programs such as the World Week Without Violence should be celebrated around the world help educate communities on the types of violence women in their country face.
Startling statistics: The country’s alarmingly skewed child sex ratio continues its distributing trend with a decline in the birth of nearly three million girls as opposed to 2.06 million boys during 2001-11, according to the ‘Children in India – 2012. a statistical appraisal report recently released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme. ^-9
Governments, international organisations and civil society must ensure that laws and policies that uphold women’s human rights are implemented in order to protect women from violence. Socio- economic factors and legal challenges that put many HIV-positive women at risk of violence must be addressed. The World is particular concerned about recent laws some countries are adopting that criminalise HIV. These laws have a particular impact on women and leave them vulnerable to violence. If poverty makes women more vulnerable to HIV and AIDS then we must insist on more programs which promote the economic empowerment of women and also the macro programs which remove countries from cycles of poverty.
Invest in women and girls:
Organisations running programs such as shelters for women in the violent relationship, help-lines and counselling facilities must be adequately financed to ensure their services remain reliable and accessible. Adequate and accessible funding must be provided for services that provide holistic care for survivors of violence. Women’s right to information must be upheld. Lack of information prevents many women from accessing services that would support them to regain dignity in their lives.
But, it will be said, the rule of men over women differs from all these others in not being a rule of force: but it is accepted voluntarily; women make no complaint, and are consenting parties to it. Noted 19th-century philosopher James Stuart Mill very rightly said:
All causes, social and natural combine to make it unlikely that women should be collectively rebellious to the power of men. They are so far in a position different from all other subject classes, that their masters require something more from them than actual service,. Men do not want solely the obedience of women, they want their sentiments. All men, except the most brutish, desire to have, in the women most nearly connected with them, not a forced slave but a willing on, not a slave merely but a favourite. They have therefore put everything in practice to enslave their mind. The masters of all other slaves rely, for maintaining obedience, on fear; either fear of themselves or religious fear. The masters of women wanted more than simple obedience, and they turned the whole force of education to effect their purpose. All women are brought up from the very earliest years in the belief that their ideal of character is the very opposite to that of men; not self-will, and government by self-control, but submission, and yielding to the controls of others. ….And by their affection are meant the only ones they are allowed to have- those to men which whom they are connected or to the children an additional indefeasible tie between them and a man. ^-10
I don’t like the word ‘feminist’. I don’t think a woman trying to be men is (sick) feminism. I also don’t believe in being outspoken for the sake of it, or just to prove a point. Feminism is just an overused term and people make too much noise about it for no reason. Women have given these bodies to produce children, and the spirit and tenderness to take care of people around us. It’s fine to be an outspoken and working woman. I don’t want to be a man. One day I look forward to making dinner for my husband and children. I don’t want to be a career feminist. -11
Women should have the spirit of the famous tennis star Serena Williams,
“She turns her disappointments into triumph. Her grief into joy. Her rejection into approval. If no one believes in her it does not matter. She believes in herself. Nothing stops her. No one can touch her. She is a woman.”
So, said Serena Williams via loudspeaker on Monday as part of a female-power soundtrack for runaway show of her. Serena Williams Signature Statement collection for HSN during New York Fashion Week.  Williams interspersed with music from women only, including her buddy Beyonce’s “Lemonade.”
“I wrote it right after Wimbledon and during the Olympics, and I just was in this moment of I want to empower women.”
She explained in a backstage interview.
“It was right around the time I was asked, ‘How do you feel about being the greatest female athlete?’ And I was like, they never ask men that, I wanted to give women strength. I played it for Beyonce and she loved it.”
The idea, said the tennis great, was to carry that strength and unity into the clothes in her third show. Her older sister, Venus was on hand front row to cheer Serena on. So how does Venus feel about some friendly sisterly competition?
“We give each other confidence, so if your sister likes it you know it’s going to be OK.” Venus said, “Your sister always tells you the truth. We definitely help each other out and give suggestions. And that’s the way sister should be.” -12
Indonesian campaigner Firliana Purwanti is on a unique mission to tell women in her largely conservative nation that insisting on equality in the bedroom can help them achieve equal footing in boardrooms and in politics.
Purwanti's approach is unconventional in the country with the world's largest Muslim population where open discussion of sex is largely frowned upon.

Dubbed the "Orgasm Lady", Purwanti said if women are empowered enough to voice their demands in the bedroom, they are more likely to take the fight for equality outside the home.
By speaking up about sex, she hopes to spark discussion on issues such as virginity tests on women who want to join Indonesia's military or police force and the ritual of female genital mutilation (FGM).

"Your body, your sexual pleasure is your autonomy. The state has nothing to do with it," said Purwanti, 39, who wrote "The O Project", a 2010 best-selling book documenting the sexual experiences of 16 Indonesian women.………………..
As well as virginity tests and FGM remaining prevalent, Indonesia's top court is currently hearing a petition from conservative Islamic activists lobbying to outlaw sex outside marriage.

Purwanti - whose day job as a development worker includes tackling natural disasters - said her campaign is to push back against Indonesia's obsession with virginity.

Her approach has also attracted the attention of men.
"All this while we have been trying to engage men in women's movement, it's very difficult. But when it comes to sex, they are engaged immediately," laughed Purwanti, who is working on a second book about sex and politics.
Purwanti, who is also active in the Democratic Party - one of Indonesia's largest political parties led by ex-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - said her party colleagues have called her campaign "bold and wonderful". -13
Aristophanes presented very revolutionary ideas about women’s liberation and empowerment in his famous drama “Lysistrata.” He advised women to use their sexual powers to tame and enslave men.
LYSISTRATA (pointing off): A man? There is a man coming – and by the look of him, he’s been driven half mad by the mystic power of Aphrodite!  O Lady of Cyprus, Paphos and Cythera, stay with us on the long hard road!                                                                                     p-174.
CINESIAS: By Zeus, I don’t need one! All I need is a fuck!!         p-186. -14
Global strategy to fight SRHR, HIV and VAW

1. Develop leadership and build capacity, especially with young women as champions and leaders of SRHR, HIV and an end to VAW
2. Create a safe and inclusive space for women and girls: Safe spaces can refer to actual physical space and/or a gathering of women and girls where they feel safe to learn and disclose their sexual and reproductive health challenges.
3. Provide comprehensive prevention including -Comprehensive condom programming (CCP), Integrated information on SRHR, HIV and VAW that leads to empowerment and behaviour change at community level.Address stigma and discrimination of women and girls living with HIV.
4. Provide reservation and preferential treatment to females in education and employment fields.
5. Establish fast-track courts to punish the perpetrators of crime and violence against women.
6. Special funds should be allocated for the schemes related with the women’s development and empowerment.
7. Special concession should be given if any property is purchased in the name of women or any industry is started by women.
8. Social evils like veil system, burqa, dowry, polygamy system etc., which oppress women, should be eradicated with tough laws.
9. More and more women’s hostel must be opened for working and studying women for their safety.
10. Physical and martial training should be given to women to face the violence bravely and boldly. Women should be armed with chilly sprays.
11. Parents who have only girl child should be encouraged and honoured with special benefits.
12. There should be the free and compulsory education for girls. Parents who deny education to girls should be punished.
13. Emphasis should be on small families because in big families women are more stressed and oppressed.
14. Two children norm must be made compulsory to ease pressure on women.

References:-
1-S.K.Pamdit, WOMEN IN SOCIETY, RAJAT PUBLICATIONS, Delhi, 1998, p.39-40.
2-Maya Majumdar, Social Status of WOMEN IN India, Dominant Publishers and Distributors: NEW DELHI-110002. p.292.
3-Idem., p.63.
4-Idem. p.247.
5- A.R.GUPTA, WOMEN IN HINDU SOCIETY, p.7.
            6-The Times of India, New Delhi: Wednesday, October 17, 2012, p.8.
            7-Idem.,p.9. and Danik Jagran, New Delhi, 17 October 2012, p.15.
8-THE HINDU, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2012, p. 6
9-Ibid.
10- James Stuart Mill in  THE SUBJECTION OF WOMEN.
11-Lisa Haydon, The Huffington Post (E-Newspaper), Friday, 16, June 2016.
12-Quoted from The Times of India, New Delhi, Wednesday, September 14, 2016. P-28.
13-Indonesia's 'Orgasm Lady' uses sexual empowerment to champion women's rights,’ Quoted in Reuters | Sep 13, 2016, 11.17 AM IST.
14- (Aristophanes, “Lysistrata”, (trans.) Alan H. Sommerstein, Penguin Classics, Penguin Books, London, England,  2002.

 By:-                        Dr.Kalpana Sharma
              

FEMINISM & TAJ MAHAL—NOTHING ABOUT LOVE

Again Taj Mahal is in the news. Some unknown environment-lists warriors have done some study to protect the stones and their colours. In this nation, stones are more important than the lives and livelihood of citizens. They have given many suggestions for the protection of stones but are least concerned about the lively-hood and employment of the citizens of the country.
Earlier secular historians made it a monument of Love. But if the life of Mumtaz Mahal is studied carefully and impartially, she could not get any love from her husband, emperor Shahjahan. She was like one of the many wives, the king had, apart from thousands in his harem( private brothel).
A close study of the birth of feminism—woman’s voice against injustice and inequality—tends to divulge the reality that feminism is the result of the culture or society formed and ruled by men to suit their demands, interests, whims and fancies regardless of women’s need and happiness. Shahjahan did the same.
I decided to visit the Taj Mahal. There I tried to see that building from all the angles, standing at the gate of the so-called seventh wonder of the world  — the Taj Mahal. It was dawn and the visitors and tourists were started arriving the place. It appeared akin to an odd time to meet a celebrity here, but nothing about this jaunt had been anticipated...all views of the past and the future were being brushed away as I stood at the Taj Mahal gazing up at the tomb made in memory of a woman.
Unfortunately, this was not the only and will not be surely the last case of sub-human and maltreatment of a woman but glorified nationwide.
I reached there a little early, thinking I might get inside and look around on my own will before the great mazar but the Taj Mahal authorities wasted precious time in opening the monument. But once I reached there, I realised how imprudent I was to believe I could rightly see anything about such a  so fabulous a mazar in such a short period of time. I was eager to reach there and there would be enough time to come back to travel around this so called amazing architectural work of brilliance, more fully. In the meantime, I roamed around the outside of the gravestone, my head back and my mouth amazed as I could not see anything amazing.
As a nation, Indians choose to not only ignore but also glorified and connived in the perpetration of a crime against the woman.

Sight-view

I was simply surprised to see the size of the compound. Nothing in any of the photo or book I had never seen this information about the sheer size of the structure, the huge dome, the typical Islamic style symmetry and the surprising big area. The setting sun made the colour of these white shining walls of white stones and granite appear swing and dance.

As I moved nearer, I could observe that the exterior surface was covered in obscure stone carvings and subtle calligraphy that was touching almost a 100 feet skyward. Expensive gems and stones embellished the white stone: I could glimpse bits of turquoise, lapis lazuli, emerald, red coral etc. I walked all round of the building, moving nearer to scan the much talked wonderful niceties and then stepping back to take in the hard to believe splendour.
I walked around the Taj Mahal and observed it from all the angles but could not see anything or beauty which could astonish me at that moment, I was almost frustrated and almost cried, why I was there? I came there to see those talismans which I listened about the Taj Mahal. This was perhaps the so called most beautiful building in the country, I nodded, still in a fog of shock, bewilderment and disbelief.
In this case, we do not care to challenge the stereotype of ‘love’ or ‘devoted good woman’ propaganda by eminent historians, scholars and fringe groups. Led by ‘biased and fixed’ and apparently immunised in favour of pervasive social malpractices, our political class also rave and rant it as a ‘love symbol’.

Mascot of Beauty and Love

While visiting the Taj, there is the long flower-and-tree-decked and lined paths which were almost on the banks of small, reflecting small pools. The entrance has high and big archways and connected down the stone steps. The water in the pools was almost dirty or polluted.

Outside shopkeepers can be seen selling the tiny marble replica of the Taj Mahal on exorbitant rates. There was no message, price tag or note of any sort. One side of Taj Mahal is encroached by slum type un-systematic colonies.
This last mascot is all about the legacy of a stylish debase. The scriptures say that the best way to assess someone’s greatness is to glance at the power of that person’s sway on the generation that will follow. So if we are truly engrossed in expanding into the rare air as honest, impartial human beings, instead of ‘what’s in it for me or any fixed or biased historians?’ we should be probing ‘what’s in it for the world or nation or people?’ Is it a perfect symbol of legacy, or a false mascot created by biased and fixed historians?.”
The answer is that biased and fixed historians made it a monument of love but fake. Actually, it was not loved but repression of a woman in the worst manner.

Monument Of Love

I looked back at the peculiar construction. It was gleaming white turned light yellow, shining as if it were itself a glittering star. “Anybody can see that and it is said that this edifice has stirred and influenced so many romantics from so many places, for hundreds of years. It is almost unbelievable. This monument is not the work of one man. That it was built in one lifetime and thousands of artisans were involved in it, those almost sacrificed their lives for this mausoleum.”
There is no doubt about the attraction of Taj. This is amazing work of art and structural design especially in size. It was built by Shah Jahan, the Moghul emperor in early 1600. His wife, he called Mumtaz Mahal or Jewel of the Palace. He adored her, and she him, although the emperor has many other wives and thousands in his private Harem.
Mumtaz Mahal died while given birth to her fourteenth child, during their sixteen years of married life. Amazing love!
Here a woman is viewed as ‘Man’s Other’ rather than as free human being with her own human rights and wishes, animates the so-called love of Shahjahan. This is not love but repression and abuse.
It is described by the historians that Shah Jahan was devastated by her death. After a year of bereavement in reclusion and refusing worldly pleasures, he firmly spends his life honouring his words given to his dead wife by constructing her Mazar or resting place that would be known as a monument of love on earth.
Almost for a year her body remained buried in south India. After a year her body was again exhumed and brought to Agra and again in Agra, it remained buried for six months at another place and after that, she was buried in this place called the Taj Mahal. And every year, millions of people come to see what Shah Jahan constructed for the love of his life. But even in death, Mumtaz Mahal was disgraced for the whims of her husband.

A Monument of Trouble

It is more than enough to see the Taj Mahal once. Actually, it has only graves and revered now,  as Mazar or dargah. Basically, the area was graveyard on which Mugul king Shahjahan and his wife Begum Mumtaz Mahal are buried. He killed a large number of people, including his own four brothers and kept their wives in his Herem (private brothel).
Taj Mahal is an irritation and source of tension to the industries of central and western Utter Pradesh. A large number of factories and industries were forced to shut down in these areas, especially in Agra, Mathura, Hathras, Kasganj, Etawaha, Firozabad, Aligarh, Khurja, etc., places, to protect the stone and the shining of the stones. As a result of this act lakhs of workers became jobless and work less. This act snatched the livelihood of lakhs of families. Thousands of people committed suicide due to unemployment poverty and hunger and thousands plunged in the dark lanes of crime.
Their fear and pain, “Being crushed, ” they never became normal and strong again. As a real feminist and humanist, their love for life, mankind could never blossom.
Due to these forced closer of industries and factories, a large number of the family had to suffer very badly and in this mass suffering, women were the worst sufferer.
Due to this burden of Taj Mahal, now West UP is known as Wild West UP. This is the great love act for this love monument by environmentalists and civil society people.
History repeats itself. During and after the construction of Taj Mahal thousands of construction workers and artisans were brutally oppressed and tortured. Some historians say that the hands of workers and artisans were even cut off.  The suffering of the women of their families must have beyond all imagination.
These acts, fierce both in hatred and oppression, expresses the depth, complexity and multiplicity of feminism.
Noted historian P.L.Oak has different research. He found out that Shahjahan razed a grand Shiva Temple, Tojo Mahal for the construction of Taj Mahal.
Now different Muslim sects are claiming the right of the building of Taj Mahal and its land due to exorbitant income, it earns.
The moment of Mumtaz Mahal ‘s death becomes just like any other moment of her life and her last words of so called love clinch her feminist appeal. Love and acceptance of both life and death is a way produces pathos, pain and suppression at the fate of Mumtaz Mahal which could not rebel against masculine tyranny.
The nation needs a big reform agenda to be taken to be taken up if we want to clean our society of abuses against women.
Mumtaz Mahal used her sexuality very cunningly to enslave Shahjahan, like Indonesian campaigner and feminist Firliana Purwanti.
Indonesian campaigner Firliana Purwanti is on a unique mission to tell women in her largely conservative nation that insisting on equality in the bedroom can help them achieve equal footing in boardrooms and in politics.
Purwanti's approach is unconventional in the country with the world's largest Muslim population where open discussion of sex is largely frowned upon.

Dubbed the "Orgasm Lady", Purwanti said if women are empowered enough to voice their demands in the bedroom, they are more likely to take the fight for equality outside the home.

By speaking up about sex, she hopes to spark discussion on issues such as virginity tests on women who want to join Indonesia's military or police force and the ritual of female genital mutilation (FGM).

"Your body, your sexual pleasure is your autonomy. The state has nothing to do with it," said Purwanti, 39, who wrote "The O Project", a 2010 best-selling book documenting the sexual experiences of 16 Indonesian women.………………..
As well as virginity tests and FGM remaining prevalent, Indonesia's top court is currently hearing a petition from conservative Islamic activists lobbying to outlaw sex outside marriage.

Purwanti - whose day job as a development worker includes tackling natural disasters - said her campaign is to push back against Indonesia's obsession with virginity.

Her approach has also attracted the attention of men.

"All this while we have been trying to engage men in women's movement, it's very difficult. But when it comes to sex, they are engaged immediately," laughed Purwanti, who is working on a second book about sex and politics.

Purwanti, who is also active in the Democratic Party - one of Indonesia's largest political parties led by ex-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - said her party colleagues have called her campaign "bold and wonderful".

(Indonesia's 'Orgasm Lady' uses sexual empowerment to champion women's rights,’ Quoted in Reuters | Sep 13, 2016, 11.17 AM IST.).

Aristophanes presented very revolutionary ideas about women’s liberation and empowerment in his famous drama “Lysistrata.” He advised women to use their sexual powers to tame and enslave men.
LYSISTRATA (pointing off): A man? There is a man coming – and by the look of him he’s been driven half mad by the mystic power of Aphrodite!  O Lady of Cyprus, Paphos and Cythera, stay with us on the long hard road!                                                                                           p-174.
CINESIAS: By Zeus, I don’t need one! All I need is a fuck!!               p-186.
(Aristophanes, “Lysistrata”, (trans.) Alan H. Sommerstein, Penguin Classics, Penguin Books, London, England,  2002.)

UN-MAKING OF A BANANA REPUBLIC

Recently, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment in which it imposed a ban on political parties and politicians to use caste and religion in the election. This judgment is welcomed by all the parties barring those parties, leaders and individuals who use religion, in the name of secularism and caste, in the name of social justice.

Some time back a student from Arunachal Pradesh was brutally murdered but nation remained silent and unperturbed till some students raised the murder in a big way.

Alas! Poor Nido Tania is no more. A youngster, who came from Arunachal Pradesh to fulfil his dreams for a better tomorrow, killed brutally by racist hands. A nation failed to protect her son, a state failed to respond to his desperate cries and ultimately police also failed to reach on time to stop those murderous hands.

This happened in the Secular Socialist Republic of India. Is our nation true to her logo? The answer is already given by the death of Nido Tania. This case is a case of racism in a very ugly manner. All the state organs remained totally mute because they were also had the race in mind. The killers belong to a big fanatic vote bank. All the state organs remained silent, fearing to lose that vote bank.

It was some students from Jawahar Lal University and the University of Delhi who raised this racial murder which awakened the nation. Otherwise poor Nido Tania’s death would have gone unnoticed. Then reached scion of Gandhi dynasty and ruling Congress Vice President Shri Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister of Delhi reached after five days of murder, all sleeping, Nero and Toms.

This is India which counts votes even in coffins. No shame. Nobody can shame a shameless. Although here all claim India is a secular republic and there would be no discrimination on the basis of one’s race, caste, religion, region, and gender. All lies. What a big farce? Total hypocrisy! There is discrimination at every step. The race is a reality in this nation in one way or the other.

This division is the true spirit of the constitution, justice system, system and secular democracy. Back to the home of departed Nido Tania, Arunachal Pradesh and other six states, better known as seven sisters, are also notorious in their racist hate for Hindi-speaking people from another part of the country. Hindi speaking people, Biharis, Marwaris, Punjabis etc., bear the brunt of racism in northern states. But all the states organs so far miserably failed to rise to defend them and so far there is no law against racism.

North Eastern states are not alone in practising racial discrimination. In Jammu & Kashmir Hindus and Hindi speaking people are treated very badly and they are repressed in all walks of life. In Kashmir valley, all the Hindu population has been wiped out. A large number of Hindus and Pundits has been living in refugee camps in Jammu, Delhi, Chandigarh etc., and other places for decades as refugees in their own country and still, there is no concern for them. The Article - 370, which gives special status to the state, is mainly responsible, for encouraging racial and divisive forces in the state.

Hardly any action was taken against the marauders. Rather, they were given special packages in the name of healing touch and rehabilitations. The natives slaughtered and plundered, their temples razed, tortured to looted of their gold and wealth; their women raped; a free license was to all the brutes to all acts of inhumanity and lust. The earth became red with the blood of its dear children: and the terrible army of butchers employed in so pious an expedition, in the name of Allah, lived unpunished. The butchers were sent to wipe out the kafirs but are adored in this modern, democratic and secular nation.

But this act by no means affects the Muslims and secularists who still treat those marauders for their wisdom, care and justice in spreading fanatic control over this pious land.

For the ruling class, there have been two struggling parties in their kingdom, under the names of Hindus and Muslims. It was considered that the Muslims were the best humans on the earth but however this be, but brute vote bank politics treat Hindus as inferior in their administration and all the important offices of the system.

Let study real history, survey intellectuals, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari; study each tension, each bloodbath and read the teary reactions of the victims. They say how hope and fear, desire and hate; all were pushed behind by the dark cloud of power and vote banks and crying men, betrayed by fate and destiny; to tread the bloody paths without any hope, a treacherous tyrant in the midst, shuns all good and humanity for his faith and greed.

In Tamilnadu too, Brahmans face all type of discrimination, abuse and insult. Due to the high percentage of caste reservation (69%), Brahmans hardly get any government job and denied admissions in government colleges and institutions. In UP, Bihar, also Brahmans and other high castes people face all type of discrimination due to caste politics.

In India secularism has become minority communalism and social justice becomes caste-ism by quota castes. Now, one can see caste and communal institutions in every street and corner established and financed by governments. Even now the budget is allocated on caste and communal basis. Scholarships, grants, contracts, agencies, permits etc., are allotted on caste and communal considerations. Same is the reality about admissions, employments, promotions, elections, etc., where caste and religion are the most important merit.

Now some states are identified with a particular religion or caste groups. Practically Kashmir is an Islamic state, the Punjab is a Sikh state and Mizoram and Nagaland becomes Christian states. Similarly, U.P., Bihar, and Tamilnadu become predominantly OBC states. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh become ST states. In these states, one religion or one caste groups are recognised as state religion or caste.

On the same pattern, there are caste and communal political parties. Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samajwadi Party, Janta Dal United, DMK, AIADMK, Nationalist Congress Party, Communist Parties, National Conference, PDP, Akali Dal, Muslim League, etc., etc., almost all the political parties’ nurture and support one or more religion or caste groups. But the irony of this is all swear by secularism and equality.

Caste and communalism are realities in this country. Now the situation is so grim that nobody has the courage to speak against caste and communal racism. One can see schools, colleges, universities, hostels, commissions, constituencies, states, ministries, and departments etc., which have been established to look into the caste and communal groups and interests. Now these privileged castes and religious groups repress and harass non-privileged groups.

So somehow, the death of Nido Tania had shattered the peace of the nation. But people have forgotten this death as they have the tendency to forget everything very quickly. But the strong judgment of the highest court of the land may put a break on this.

UP alone has witnessed more than 100 communal riots but all have forgotten them. Jammu & Kashmir has seen the elimination of entire Hindu population. But all have forgotten it. Similarly, the nation has also forgotten the three decades of terror in Punjab. Nobody pays any attention to the racial violence in North Eastern states where intruders from Bangladesh are welcomed but our own countrymen are repressed. In Bengal and Kerala, communal riots and killing become a routine.

If a nation wants to give true tribute to Nido Tania and other killings and wish to stop such type of racial deaths, first she must do away with all the caste and communal-based laws and provisions. Similarly, a tough anti-racism law must be enacted to stop any type of caste, communal, race, region and language-based discrimination. Otherwise, the only name will be changed and some other unfortunate Nido Tania will meet the departed Nido Tanis in heaven and racist hands will keep on playing their game of death.

Politicians cannot do this but hopefully, the decision of Supreme Court may do this.

FARCE OF MULTICULTURALISM

On the Republic Day, President, Shri Pranav Mukherjee, emphasise the need of multiculturalism and its protection. He was highly worried about multiculturalism. Islamic and Naxal terrorism, cross-border terrorism, unemployment, farmer’s suicide, etc., were all secondary or nothing for him.

Constitutionally, India is a secular country and all are equal. There will be no discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, region, language and gender. But the reality is this that at every step there is communalism and casteism. Even constitution of India and Indian Justice System also recognise casteism and communalism. In admissions, appointments, promotions, elections, scholarships, grants, trade and commerce etc., etc., there is caste or religion. Indian secularism, social justice and equality are the worst type of farce and fraud with the people.

We have been carried away by this new type of virus in the name of multiculturalism. It was not the skullcap that secularists proudly un-wore; it was the sacred thread. And they all want to marry a Brahmin or Rajput girl, not a poor sweeper girl. But seriously, nobody today is getting their point “own-trumpet-blowing.” Secularists and social justice brand traders claim that they are cool, casteless, secular and non-violent crusaders. But they are very violent, rowdy, communal and divisive. Actually, they must have the desire to be born a Brahmin. And in their younger days, they must have been beaten up by their fellow comrades and crusaders for their old-Brahmin ways, because Brahmanism is still considered star up ideologue’s cashing for putting their neo-Brahmin opponents on the defensive (a trick used by cunning Raj-era missionaries and debauch Moguls). So deciding to take the Bull by the horn, these pseudo turned anti-Cow, bashed Brahmanism even more ruthlessly than Moguls the great, explained to them why they are not like those older Brahmins, applied for exemption for themselves from their regularly scheduled program of Brahmin-bashing and pleaded to be taken into their Leftwing fraternity as one among the equals. If this is how it all played out, it is absolutely a fraud by their anti-Brahmin caste-less-ness.

Today, all the Muslims, Christians and Sikhs want nation and Hindus to be secular. They want to enjoy all the benefits and privileges under this sun on the bias of their dear religion. They want to have Communal Civil Codes, Communal Institutions, Communal Budgets, Communal States, Communal Reservations and what not. Now it is a secular and intellectual fashion to lay a claim to victimhood and lay out the blame on Hindus or their caste system. Here all blame Hindu practices. In this secular nation, no one knows the truth but all the secularists can smell Hindus for all the evils. This notion demonises the Hindus. There are Harry idiot labelers and name-callers in the whole nation who can dish it out and can also take it. All want Hindus to be secular and Brahmin as caste-less but these self-styled secularists and socialists want to gulp the entire world’s pleasure in the name of religion and caste. Even rich and well of among then do not want to share or rather deny very ruthlessly all the benefits which they already gulped without any merit to their poor and not so well off brethren.

If you get up before dawn, has a glass of cow’s milk, prays to the sun god, perform Surya Namaskar and begins scanning cyberspace for that day’s honest work it is communal and Brahmanism.

Now a new secular trend has emerged. Now all specialise and adore caste and religion. Now all sociologists see caste as human beings. All excludes favorite castes from this caste-profiling but all attack upper caste and favorite castes love is a favorite on the TV channels those fetch easy bucks and vote banks like SC, ST, OBC, Muslims etc. Whenever these channels manufacture one of those top-ten lists, (“Top Ten Bollywood Item Songs in Indian History”), they are bound to have pride of the place as resident expert on history.

What caste does the surname “Yadav” suggest to you? How about “Paswan”? “Jatav”? “Thorat”? “Valmiki”? “Maurya”? “Shinde”? See what it means? Our casteless secularism and socialism never call any of his media and publishing buddies out by their caste! This nation is dominated not just by quota -castes, but by baba-log types who got there for reasons other than skill and merit, and the scholars have nothing to say about it all simply because it is not in their professional interest. Surprising, no?

It is not hypocrisy, but nation’s wholesale obliviousness to it, simply irritating. How can anyone be so thick-skinned! He caste-profiles you only if you are a detractor, not if you’re a useful pal or a media acolyte! There is one very common claim that such and such caste had been exploited by such and such caste for centuries and centuries. No other scientific research or truth. Only for breaking Hindus and breaking Hindustan.

If one is looking for the mandatory Narendra Modi mention, you will find it here. It is a secular and intellectual fashion to abuse Modi. Modi abusing is a big industry in this nation like Brahmin bashing for Dalits. They make the loud claim that the Hindutva type patriots lack humanism. To abuse Hindutva type nationalism is a scholarly character. If a person is in saffron-colored, vermilion on his forehead, knowledge Shikha (choti) on his head, sacred thread around his body, secularist laugh. But skull cap, burqa, triple talaq, nikah, beard, Roza, namaz, communal civil code etc., all are religious and secular. What is this taunt at? That they are fanatic but you are liberal tolerant intellectual guy lived in the US. But secularists and socialists are the caste ‘New’ but perverted Brahmin themselves, however, is not obliged to boycott The Fanaticism, which remains firmly under rotten Brahmin call control. This is called ABCD malaise means ‘American Breed-ed Corrupt Desi.’ The nation is in the grip of such ABCD intellectuals.

Now it is most interesting because — guess it — if it bears a resounding caste name. Because of Quota Caste Name = comprehensive insider knowledge on the socio-economic-cultural background of the name’s owner. It is like a secular exhibition. Anybody vocal in support of caste and communal quotas receives his share of excellence. They can claim to be an equal to any of the intellectual giant: that an important person unburdens one of the needs to restrain himself from out-trolling trolls. What excuse do intellectual giants have? Given how they quote from the false past at length, and how, in fact, they have preserved them over the years (to put them all into a book!), in reality, they are like these “Taliban fundamentalist groups”.

Another explanation for quota passion for such caste attacks is that they are merit hater. The Internet made communication easy. Right from its inception, the net carried a free-for-all spirit. Quota lover people quickly got accustomed to the communication model of the so-called theories of exploitation and develop full-fledged hate work around its pitfalls. Those who could not face this caste mine-field bitterly bitch about it, as if it is a calamity only they flew with it.

Another one is that patriots lack wisdom. Look at Arun Shourie, Subramanian Swamy, Shiv Khera, Chandan Mitra, Chetan Bhagat, Shobha Dey, Pritish Nandy, Balbir Punj, etc. to learn how real intellectuals deal with trolling. They ignore it as the messiah of self-styled downtrodden. They always abuse likes of Shourie, Swamy, Khera, Chandan Mitra, Pritish Nandy, Tarun Vijay by labelling them as no secular or anti- social justice.

From the very beginning, they are taught to hate Hindus and Brahmins. They are recruited by the left-wing groups. They feel that who so ever abuses Hindus and Hindustan are more attractive to them and heirs of “intellectual” superiority. In every meeting, seminar and conference some “class enemy” or the other was roundly condemned in colourful revolutionary jargon.

It is a common feature to see the Hindutva guy ever cropping up as a target of those weekly ritual condemnations because it had no local presence and was insignificant. But in St Stephens, St Xavier, Presidency, JNU, AMU, and in Calcutta, where such elements practice secularism and quota justice like all up-and-coming intellectual stars of the time, the Hindutva dude must have been a favourite target of laughter show. Though they claim to be no longer Hindu caste-ist, but old influences die hard. Time was when the leftwing cabal wielded the power to promote points of view with certifications and suppress them with ridicule and disapproval. The Internet and other developments have put paid to that dominance. This is what, I believe, is driving their rage. The selectively-quoted excerpts are a stereotyping ruse; they are the scotch-sipping neo-Brahmin’s excuse for hating the cow-milk-drinking menial.

Perhaps President Pranab Mukherjee has this multiculturalism in mind.