Mridula Sinha
About 25 years ago Mahila Morcha of BJP had to publish a souvenir. I asked Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee to give his message for the success of our efforts. He gave his message on a slip of paper in his own handwriting. I began reading the script. When I finished, my eyes were filled with tears. The small paper contained the idea of holistic development of women. It said: “All those who are out to render women into men, in the name of equality, deserve ridicule. Women must remain women, made of flesh and bone as they are, they should not be trivialised as puppets, not looked upon as butterfly alienated from the soil of the land.”
The message defined not only the status of women in present situation but also gave the direction how a woman can prove her utility in the society. In his brief message first he rejected the efforts of certain activists who in the name of equality between men and women were trying to ruin the natural and inherited qualities of women to serve the family, and second those activists aimed at converting women into men. In their eyes the position of men is better and bigger in the society. They call the society ‘male-dominated’. The persons or institutions calling the male-dominated society, want women to be men. In their views the ways for upliftment and development of women lead them towards making them men only.
Senior national leader of the country rejects this solution. He is of the opinion that while searching the ways for all round development of women, one should believe in the valuable qualities of women. These qualities are necessary for the proper development of mankind. While raring and caring of children women take care of every member of the family. Her affection for her children expands and she does a lot for mankind and Nature also. One should not provoke women to leave or ruin all her special qualities and transform herself into men.
The awakened leader says that “women must remain women” with all their special qualities for preservation of the self and preservation of the race. At the same time he is not happy with the present condition and status of women. He rejects the theory and practice of making women puppet. He suggests that women should not be trivialised in the name of tradition as puppets, at the same time she should not become butterfly alienated from the soil of the land, He in his brief message showed the middle path or the development of society and women also. In Indian traditions, the middle path always has been better for development in any area. The persons, agencies and the Government itself while chalking out the plans for development of women should keep in mind the suggestions given by the great leader.
The great Hindi poetess Mahadevi Verma also repented on the then condition of the women. Once while addressing women activists of Delhi, she said, “Power is the attribute of a person, not of an object. Woman must therefore eschew her image of an object or usable commodity. Only then her commercialisation, suppression, exploitation and immolation will end and her image as human being will be established.”
Thirty years ago she warned the young women of India not to become a commodity. She should realise herself, her inner qualities and enhance her abilities to serve herself and the family. If she does not, the male will treat her as object. He will purchase, sell and resell her. When being satisfied by fulfilling his desires, he will throw the woman from his life who has been only object for him.
The great poetess and thinker of India warned women not to become object. By developing all her qualities she should posses her personality. She will be a person not an object. Three decades have passed. The atrocities, the women are facing, are not decreasing. They are increasing day-by-day. Girls are getting education, they have put their legs everywhere. Their roles are appreciated by every section of the society. They are on the path of all round development. They have entered the areas of work, where only men could go. Yet they are not fearless. From house to office, from roads to mall and from fields to factory they are not happy. They are always shaken. In spite of their higher education and higher “packages” they are afraid. Fearful. A big why is before the whole society. We have not followed the suggestion of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mahadevi Verma and several other great thinkers of the society. We failed to follow them. We are putting women on the path of making them butterfly. They are not taught the lessons, which shall inculcate qualities in them which will differentiate them from men, at the same time make them not only equivalent to men but special also. All the great thinkers of society have perceived and treated her as special, not equal to man.
Now the time has come when we must realise the role of woman in family and society. First of all she should be given right and opportunity to be born. This is the prime need of the women. She is the janani, birth giver, representative of Brahma. Let her come on the earth. When she has taken birth, she should be given every right, facility and occasion to be called “Manavi”. Security from home to outside the world has become the first need of the women. They are not secured. They are not respected. The equal rights assigned by Constitution have not been successful to make her able to earn respect in the society. She deserves respect of the whole society.
A society, which realises the vital role of women in family and society, renders great respect to them.
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