The Citizen's effort to save 6000 crores has now been able to reach 90 people who can stop this. This list has 82 Corporators, 2 MPs, and 2 MLAs
apart from three senior party leaders and the Municipal Commissioner. Various Citizens have reached them by personal meetings and by Telephone.
Suresh Nangia, Silloo Marker, Laxmidas Thakker , Aftab Siddique, Gerson da'cunha, Vidya Vaidya, Daphne Warapen, Sandeep Jalan, G.R.Vora, Maria D'souza,
John Miranda are amongst the Citizens who have been able to contact and talk to them. The champion is Rajesh Drak who alone with a sweet voice has been able to contact over 30 -all on the telephone! I have persuaded him to share his talk, and am reproducing it below, for all of us to learn how effective he has been. I know others
are also trying. A little effort please; if we can reach about 180 Corporators by end August, we might be able to save our 6000 crores.
Modus Operandi of eliciting responses
Guess the mother tongue from the name & speak in the language of receiver, viz.Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, English, etc.
Specimen talk given below (1 for caller, 2 for receiver) :
1) Hello, Juhu sey Rajesh Darak bol raha hoon. Kya ek minute apse phone pe baat kar sakta hoon?
2) Kya hai?
1) Crawford Market development ke barey main
2) Boliye
1) Kuch dino pehle BMC mein yeh proposal aane wala tha, jisme builder ko Rs.105 crore ka kharch hone wala tha aur Rs.1050 crore ka napha hone wala tha. Matlab 1 rupaiye ka kharch aur 10 rupaiye ka nafaa. Kya aapko nahi lagta ki isme public ka bahoot nuksan hota tha?
2) Haan par woh proposal to aaya hi nahi.
1) Agar bhavishya mein dubara ees roop mein yeh proposal laya gaya to aap uska virodh karenge na?
2)....................
1) Dhanyavaad saheb / madam
2) .......................
Rajesh Darak
The list so far:
Id Name of Person Party Position Citizen's name Meeting at Telephone Date & time Proposal bad Proposal good Reasons
1 Sanjay Raut Shiv Sena MP shailesh gandhi Saamna off.
10 July, 6.00pm Agrees
2 Jairaj Phatak
Municipal Comm. shailesh office at MCGM
12 July, 2.00pm Agrees
3 Adolf D'souza Independent Corporator 50 Citizens Nimkar library
21July, 6.30pm Agrees
4 Ravindra Waikar Shiv Sena Corporator vidya, pk das, srg off. At MCGM
19 July, 4.30pm Agrees
5 Ravindra Pawar NCP Senior leader shailesh
20520766 19 July, 11.00am Agrees
6 Vidya Chavan NCP Corporator shailesh telephone 9967356011 20 July, 10.00am Agrees
7 Asif Zakaria Congress Corporator 50 Citizens Nimkar Library
21 July, 6.30pm Agrees
8 Milind Deora Congress MP shailesh Khetan Bhavan
23 July, 4.00pm Agrees
9 Shailaja Girkar BJP Corporator S.K. Nangia personal
26 July, 11.30am Agrees
10 Yogesh Sagar BJP Corporator S.K.Nangia; Sandeep; Rajesh personal
26 July, 1.30pm Agrees
12 Vijaibhai Girkar BJP VP, State S.K.Nangia
9820180595 27 July, 10.20am Agrees
13 Jaya Singh Tiwana Congress Corporator S.K.Nangia
66992230 27Jul, 12.40pm Agrees
14 Aslam Shaikh Congress Corporator S.K.Nangia; Rajesh
9820397011 27 Jul, 12.50pm Agrees
15 Shubhada Gudekar Shiv Sena Corporator S.K.Nangia
9820397011 27 Jul, 4.50pm
Yes will meet
16 Ashish Shelar BJP Corporator shailesh gandhi; Daphne Bandra residence
28 Jul, 10.30am Agrees
17 Upendra Doshi Congress Corporator G.R.Vora
Telephone 28 Jul, 12.35pm Agrees
18 Anahita Mehta Congress Corporator shailesh gandhi
9820524441 29 Jul, 9.50am Agrees
19 Ashok Sawant Shiv Sena Corporator Aftab Siddique
2 Aug 7.45pm
No comment
20 Jayant Siroya Congress Corporator Aftab Siddique
28 Jul, 7pm Agrees
21 Terattil Alice Johnson Congress Corporator Aftab Siddique; Sandeep
28 july, 7.30pm Agrees
22 Tushar Aphaley MNS VP Bandra (W) Aftab Siddique
23 July,8pm Agrees
23 Mangesh Sangle MNS Corporator Aftab Siddique
23 Ju, 8.30pm Agrees
24 Baba Siddique Congress MLA Maria D'souza
Telephone 30 Jul, 9.30pm Agrees
25 Raghunath Thevai Congress Corporator Silloo Marker
30 July, 7.30pm Agrees
15 party workers present
26 Sheetal Mhatre Congress Corporator Sandeep Jalan
9867322422 30 July, 5pm Agrees
27 Amin Patel Congress Corporator Sandeep Jalan
9820105761 1 Aug, 2.30pm Agrees
28 Dyanmurti Sharma BJP Corporator Sandeep; Rajesh
9867714946 30 Jul, 5.30pm Agrees
29 Vinod Shekhar Congress Corporator Sandeep Jalan, Gerson
9821177222 1 Aug, 8.15pm Agrees
30 Bhalchandra Mhatre Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9821879246 6 Aug, 7.30pm Agrees
31 Sujata Patekar Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9820702712 6 Aug, 7.35pm Agrees
32 Vinod Ghedia BJP Corporator Rajesh Darak
9820325579 6 Aug, 7.45pm Agrees
33 Namdeo Khursange NCP Corporator Rajesh Darak
9867169753 6 Aug, 7.50pm Agrees
34 Vinay Patil Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9820821420 6 Aug, 7.55pm
No comment Party decides
35 Simantini Narkar Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9869011135 6 Aug, 8.05pm
No comment Party decides
36 Pravin Shah BJP Corporator Rajesh Darak
9322704829 6 Aug, 8.10pm Agrees
37 Bharat Kini BJP Corporator Rajesh Darak;Nangia
9833370332 6 Aug, 8.20pm
No comment
38 Kshtija Pujari BJP Corporator Rajesh Darak
9892882195 6 Aug, 8.35pm Agrees
39 Ajanta Yadav Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9867034967 6, Aug, 8.40pm Agrees
40 Geeta Yadav Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9892850871 6 Aug, 8.50pm Agrees
41 Baldevsingh Manku Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9869215151 6 Aug, 9.00pm
No comment Party decides
42 Dr. Ram Barot BJP Corporator Rajesh Darak
9869080789 6 Aug, 9.05pm Agrees
43 Anita Ghag MNS Corporator Vidya Vaidya, Tushar Aphale
9892289321
Agrees
44 Bhomsingh Rathod Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9869044884 7 Aug, 9.40pm Agrees
45 Sadashiv Patil Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9821416005 7 Aug,10.10pm
No comment Party decides
47 Dikshita Shah Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9324435499 7 Aug, 10.25pm
No time
49 Sunil Prabhu Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9821093488 7 Aug, 10.35pm Agrees
50 Sumangal Koltharkar Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9223270734 7 Aug, 10.40pm Agrees
51 R.R.Patil Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9867112171 7 Aug 10.45pm Agrees
52 Dilip Shinde Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9819322322 7 Aug, 10.50pm Agrees
53 Sayyad Bargena SP Corporator Rajesh Darak
9870477866 7 Aug, 11.00pm Agrees
54 Kamlesh Yadav Congress Corporator S.K. Nangia
9820331378 5 Aug Agrees
55 Shiv Kumar Jha Independent Corporator S.K.Nangia
9323042901 5 Aug Agrees
56 Rajul Vyas Congress Corporator S.K.Nangia
9869928901 7 Aug Agrees
57 Sandhya Doshi NCP Corporator S.K.Nangia
7 Aug Agrees
58 P.U. Mehta Congress MLA S.K.Nangia
9820181020 27 Jul, 12.30pm Agrees
59 Shirish Chowgule MNS Corporator Vidya Vaidya, Tushar Aphale
9820371991
Agrees
60 Mangesh Sangale MNS Corporator Vidya Vaidya, Tushar Aphale
9820349166
Agrees
61 Parmeshwar Kadam MNS Corporator Vidya, Tushar
9222124443
Agrees
62 Shaila Lande MNS Corporator Vidya, Tushar
9833201646
Agrees
63 Rajendra Lad MNS Corporator Vidya, Tushar
981632347
Agrees
64 Suhbha Raul Mayor
shailesh gandhi
8 Aug, 5.25pm Agrees
65 Pramod Mandrekar Congress Corporator shailesh
9821166447 8 Aug, 5.35pm Agrees
66 Raj Hans Singh Congress Corporator shailesh
11 Jul, Agrees
67 Raghunath Jhaveri Congress Corporator G.R.Vora
Agrees
68 Upendra Doshi Congress Corporator G.R. Vora
28 Jul, 12.35pm Agrees
69 Kavita Rodricks Congress Corporator John Miranda Corporator's home
11 Aug, 10.00am Agrees
70 Vilas Chawry Independent Corporator Daphne Warapen
No comment
71 Maske BJP Corporator Laxmidas Thakker
932440776 14 Aug 8.30am Agrees
72 Kotak Manoj BJP Corporator Laxmidas Thakker
25690532 14 Aug, 8.40am Agrees
73 Hamid Shah BJP Corporator Laxmidas Thakker
25610104 14 Aug, 10.15am Agrees
74 Avtarkaur Sobti Congress Corporator Laxmidas Thakker
923290016 14 Aug, 8.50am Agrees
75 Rajul Patel Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9323801469 8 Aug 9.20pm Agrees
77 Devendra Amberkar Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9322290027 9 Aug, 9.15pm Agrees
78 Jyostna Dighe Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
98213213222 9 Aug, 9.20pm Agrees
79 Bharti Ghongade Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9892732191 15 Aug,11.45am Agrees
80 Barudgar Aziz Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9867157777 18Aug,6.40pm Agrees
81 Jayanti Siroya Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9869201931 18 Aug,6.45pm Agrees
82 Shailesh Parab Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9322515448 15 Aug,11.50am Agrees
83 Sheikh Sabirabi Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
200574751 15Aug,11.55am Agrees
84 Ramesh Latke Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9869008179 18Aug,7.05pm Agrees
85 Clive Dias Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9821336231 18Aug,7.10pm Agrees
86 Roshan Dudwadkar Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9870000281 18Aug,7.15pm Agrees
87 Kamlesh Rai Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9820006067 18Aug,7.20pm Agrees
88 Nitin Salagara Congress Corporator Rajesh Darak
9867656612 18Aug,7.25pm Agrees
89 Manohar Panchal Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
9869184184 18Aug,7.30pm Agrees
90 Shashikant Patkar Shiv Sena Corporator Rajesh Darak
4 further details contact: shailesh gandhi on: shaileshgan@gmail.com
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
RTI WORKSHOP...
Indian Merchants' Chamber
Intensive half-day Workshop organized by
Indian Merchants' Chamber, Mumbai on
Right to Information
Conducted by
Mr Shailesh Gandhi
(RTI activist)
Saturday, 13th October, 2007 from 12.30 pm to 6.30 pm
in the Kilachand Conference Room (2nd Flr), IMC
Programme
12.30 pm
Registration and Tea
1.00 pm to 2.00 pm
Historical, political and legal perspective of Right to Information and its importance
2.00 pm to 4.00 pm
Provisions of RTI Act, 2005
4.00 pm to 4.15 pm
Tea Break
4.15 pm to 5.15 pm
Case Studies
5.15 pm to 6.30 pm
Practical workshop exercise
There is no participation fee. Citizens interested in participating should register with Mr S N Gaitonde / Mr Shailesh Joshi on Tel. No. 2204 6633 extn. 133 / 114 or by email: asst@imcnet.org;gs8@imcnet.org
This event is organized by the Anti-Corruption Cell of IMC, whose Chairman is Mr. J F Ribeiro and Co-Chairman is Mr. Satish Sahney.
Intensive half-day Workshop organized by
Indian Merchants' Chamber, Mumbai on
Right to Information
Conducted by
Mr Shailesh Gandhi
(RTI activist)
Saturday, 13th October, 2007 from 12.30 pm to 6.30 pm
in the Kilachand Conference Room (2nd Flr), IMC
Programme
12.30 pm
Registration and Tea
1.00 pm to 2.00 pm
Historical, political and legal perspective of Right to Information and its importance
2.00 pm to 4.00 pm
Provisions of RTI Act, 2005
4.00 pm to 4.15 pm
Tea Break
4.15 pm to 5.15 pm
Case Studies
5.15 pm to 6.30 pm
Practical workshop exercise
There is no participation fee. Citizens interested in participating should register with Mr S N Gaitonde / Mr Shailesh Joshi on Tel. No. 2204 6633 extn. 133 / 114 or by email: asst@imcnet.org;gs8@imcnet.org
This event is organized by the Anti-Corruption Cell of IMC, whose Chairman is Mr. J F Ribeiro and Co-Chairman is Mr. Satish Sahney.
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
+l-r+umakant,abhijit,+shailesh+gandhi,+pramod+kulkarni,+pradnya+kulkarni,+shewta,+namrata.+(standing)+l-r+umesh,ameya,+farah,+nikhil.JPG)
Thursday, 19 July 2007
save 6000 cr...
shailesh gandhi
B2 Gokul Apartment, Near Asha Parekh Hospital,Poddar Road, Santacruz (W), Mumbai-400054.
Tel: 32903776 Email: shaileshgan@vsnl.com
Public could lose 1000 Crores on CRAWFORD MARKET ‘REDEVELOPMENT!
And a Total of over 6000 crores over all the MUNICIPAL MARKETS
People can stop this loot if they take the issue to heart. Every Mumbaikar including the poorest loses about 5000 rupees in this. Citizens who would like to join this effort and understand how they can contribute in saving our money are invited to a meeting to understand and discuss this:
Date: Saturday, 21st July, 2007
Time: 6.00pm to 8.00pm
Venue: Khar Nimkar Library, C.D. Marg, Between S.V. Road and Madhu Park, Khar (W).
About 10 minutes walk from Khar Station. 2 mins from S.V. Road's Khar Stn. bus stop.
You can save 5000 rupees belonging to you and all the Mumbaikars with a little time.
If the poorest Citizen who has some land on which there are tenants, and wants to develop it, what does he do? He approaches some builders and figures out who will offer the highest sum to him. This simple principle is not occurring to the MCGM. When I was in primary school, we used to be given arithmetic sums, which said there are 50 mangoes which must be divided amongst 3 people in a proportion such that A gets 40%, B gets 30% and C gets 20%. How many mangoes will each get? In the later years in school, the idea that there could be a cost associated was introduced and all of us would also calculate the cost of such a division. However-unbelievable, as it might appear- the MCGM proposes to act as if their officers never studied beyond the primary school and is about to gift over 1000 crores of the Citizens property in Crawford market- and a few thousand crores across all Municipal Markets!
I read about the development and privatization of the Crawford Market in the papers, and decided to investigate this transaction. The information given under Right To Information from the Market department of MCGM in the beginning of 2006 made horrifying reading. I obtained copies of the proposal using RTI. Trying to read the bureaucratic language and the reams of complex nonsense spewed forth is enough to confuse any Citizen.
The primary reason for this grand policy and proposal is that the MCGM claims it is very concerned about its duty to provide Markets to Citizens. It laments that since it does not have resources- in fact it designs every policy to ensure impoverishment of the Public,- it seeks to give all the benefits to the tenants and developers. Under this policy, the tenants negotiate with the developers, and MCGM gives extra FSI- which will ultimately lead to greater demands on the infrastructure. In return, MCGM takes some constructed space- calculated as a percentage.
Using Right To Information I have obtained a complex web of bureaucratese which refers to a number of interlinked resolutions which will actually fulfil the objective of impoverishing the City. I am giving below, the financial implications of the proposal. All the figures have been taken from the proposal obtained from the Market Department of MCGM. I have made only two assumptions:
1. The cost of construction would be Rs. 16000 per sq. mtr. (which would be about Rs 1495 per sq. ft.)
2. The price per sq. mtr. of the commercial premises would be Rs. 350000 per sq. mtr. (which would be about Rs. 32710 per sq. ft.)
When I calculate the financial implications of this, it means the Public,- the owner of the land,- gets free construction cost of just about Rs. 42 crores and allows the tenants and developer to gain over Rs. 1000 crores!
What can be done? :
1. There are enough private developers of Markets, and the MCGM should desist from developing Markets. In this case, I do not believe anybody has analysed the impact on the traffic and amenities when 6205 sq.mtrs. becomes 65689 sq. mtrs! We are creating a nightmare, apart from changing the Heritage skyline. If this view is accepted a smaller structure could be built where a better market could come up.
2. If there are strong reasons for this development, which I am not able to comprehend and the infrastructure solutions exist, MCGM could give a contract for about Rs. 105 crores and stand to gain over 1000 crores. Alternately, tenders could be floated to completely handle everything in which case too, MCGM would get over 900 crores.
This same model is presently proposed to be adopted over all the 100 Municipal markets and will mean that some people would gain over 6000 crores at Public expense...
Last October the Corporation faced with these facts, stopped the proposal. Once the elections were over, the proposal has again been mooted. It was proposed to be passed last Thursday on 12 th July by the Corporation. Some of us approached the leaders of various political parties in the Corporation and outside. The result was that the proposal has been stalled presently. I met the Municipal Commissioner who also agreed that this work should be done by the process of inviting tenders so that the Public gets its rightful share. However, the proposal could again be revived and passed if we are not vigilant.
We have a plan which could be executed if some Citizens participated. The idea is that we will explain all the calculations and the way the scheme is likely to hurt our interests at a meeting. We are hoping Citizens will,- subsequently in the next ten days,- meet Corporators, legislators, MPs and other political leaders in the City, and discuss the proposal and how it is against Public interests. These meetings would be fixed indepently or in small groups. They will make notes of the reactions and comments from the political leaders they meet. We will collate the reactions of the political leaders and put them in Public domain. If we can succeed in this, we might find a way to enforce accountability from our political representatives. I expect the total effort will not take more than about 10 to 20 hours of your time. Rs.6000 crores is worth that effort.
Do spread the word an invite friends to join.
B2 Gokul Apartment, Near Asha Parekh Hospital,Poddar Road, Santacruz (W), Mumbai-400054.
Tel: 32903776 Email: shaileshgan@vsnl.com
Public could lose 1000 Crores on CRAWFORD MARKET ‘REDEVELOPMENT!
And a Total of over 6000 crores over all the MUNICIPAL MARKETS
People can stop this loot if they take the issue to heart. Every Mumbaikar including the poorest loses about 5000 rupees in this. Citizens who would like to join this effort and understand how they can contribute in saving our money are invited to a meeting to understand and discuss this:
Date: Saturday, 21st July, 2007
Time: 6.00pm to 8.00pm
Venue: Khar Nimkar Library, C.D. Marg, Between S.V. Road and Madhu Park, Khar (W).
About 10 minutes walk from Khar Station. 2 mins from S.V. Road's Khar Stn. bus stop.
You can save 5000 rupees belonging to you and all the Mumbaikars with a little time.
If the poorest Citizen who has some land on which there are tenants, and wants to develop it, what does he do? He approaches some builders and figures out who will offer the highest sum to him. This simple principle is not occurring to the MCGM. When I was in primary school, we used to be given arithmetic sums, which said there are 50 mangoes which must be divided amongst 3 people in a proportion such that A gets 40%, B gets 30% and C gets 20%. How many mangoes will each get? In the later years in school, the idea that there could be a cost associated was introduced and all of us would also calculate the cost of such a division. However-unbelievable, as it might appear- the MCGM proposes to act as if their officers never studied beyond the primary school and is about to gift over 1000 crores of the Citizens property in Crawford market- and a few thousand crores across all Municipal Markets!
I read about the development and privatization of the Crawford Market in the papers, and decided to investigate this transaction. The information given under Right To Information from the Market department of MCGM in the beginning of 2006 made horrifying reading. I obtained copies of the proposal using RTI. Trying to read the bureaucratic language and the reams of complex nonsense spewed forth is enough to confuse any Citizen.
The primary reason for this grand policy and proposal is that the MCGM claims it is very concerned about its duty to provide Markets to Citizens. It laments that since it does not have resources- in fact it designs every policy to ensure impoverishment of the Public,- it seeks to give all the benefits to the tenants and developers. Under this policy, the tenants negotiate with the developers, and MCGM gives extra FSI- which will ultimately lead to greater demands on the infrastructure. In return, MCGM takes some constructed space- calculated as a percentage.
Using Right To Information I have obtained a complex web of bureaucratese which refers to a number of interlinked resolutions which will actually fulfil the objective of impoverishing the City. I am giving below, the financial implications of the proposal. All the figures have been taken from the proposal obtained from the Market Department of MCGM. I have made only two assumptions:
1. The cost of construction would be Rs. 16000 per sq. mtr. (which would be about Rs 1495 per sq. ft.)
2. The price per sq. mtr. of the commercial premises would be Rs. 350000 per sq. mtr. (which would be about Rs. 32710 per sq. ft.)
When I calculate the financial implications of this, it means the Public,- the owner of the land,- gets free construction cost of just about Rs. 42 crores and allows the tenants and developer to gain over Rs. 1000 crores!
What can be done? :
1. There are enough private developers of Markets, and the MCGM should desist from developing Markets. In this case, I do not believe anybody has analysed the impact on the traffic and amenities when 6205 sq.mtrs. becomes 65689 sq. mtrs! We are creating a nightmare, apart from changing the Heritage skyline. If this view is accepted a smaller structure could be built where a better market could come up.
2. If there are strong reasons for this development, which I am not able to comprehend and the infrastructure solutions exist, MCGM could give a contract for about Rs. 105 crores and stand to gain over 1000 crores. Alternately, tenders could be floated to completely handle everything in which case too, MCGM would get over 900 crores.
This same model is presently proposed to be adopted over all the 100 Municipal markets and will mean that some people would gain over 6000 crores at Public expense...
Last October the Corporation faced with these facts, stopped the proposal. Once the elections were over, the proposal has again been mooted. It was proposed to be passed last Thursday on 12 th July by the Corporation. Some of us approached the leaders of various political parties in the Corporation and outside. The result was that the proposal has been stalled presently. I met the Municipal Commissioner who also agreed that this work should be done by the process of inviting tenders so that the Public gets its rightful share. However, the proposal could again be revived and passed if we are not vigilant.
We have a plan which could be executed if some Citizens participated. The idea is that we will explain all the calculations and the way the scheme is likely to hurt our interests at a meeting. We are hoping Citizens will,- subsequently in the next ten days,- meet Corporators, legislators, MPs and other political leaders in the City, and discuss the proposal and how it is against Public interests. These meetings would be fixed indepently or in small groups. They will make notes of the reactions and comments from the political leaders they meet. We will collate the reactions of the political leaders and put them in Public domain. If we can succeed in this, we might find a way to enforce accountability from our political representatives. I expect the total effort will not take more than about 10 to 20 hours of your time. Rs.6000 crores is worth that effort.
Do spread the word an invite friends to join.
Monday, 16 July 2007
Article In Mulund-Powai Plus
To Read The Article On RTI Seminar BY Shailesh Gandhi In Mulund-Powai Plus click below:
http://www.mulundpowaiplus.com/fullStory.asp?articleID=MUP4ART0713200734150
13th july 2007
post in your comments at the blogsite itself.
thanking you,
Dnyeyam-Know Yourself.
http://www.mulundpowaiplus.com/fullStory.asp?articleID=MUP4ART0713200734150
13th july 2007
post in your comments at the blogsite itself.
thanking you,
Dnyeyam-Know Yourself.
Thursday, 5 July 2007
Your Right To question ???
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hi all, we as Dnyeyam- Know Yourself
under our objective Know Your Rights are having Right To Information Awareness Seminars in colleges, corporates, offices.
if your college/corporate/office is interested in holding a rti seminar please contact us on our e-mail id dnyeyam@gmail.com
remember:
"you have the right to question, make use of it."
Sunday, 3 June 2007
Gender Justice, Why & How?
There's hardly any qualitative distinction between a child and a grown up woman when it comes to defining of an ideal child or woman .They are ideal and praiseworthy when they listen, obey and follow the man or men whom they belong to both socially and individually. Women all over have more or less accepted their secondary social status either under compulsions or obligations or both .They are expected to compromise and that just means 'Get back or else …!' They are supposed to be the peace keeping force at least at family level if not at the global level. There's hardly any society or even a democracy in the modern world that speaks out against this historically in built societal role of women.
In case they dare resist or protest, there's an ultimate weapon flashed against them; The Religion. Indeed it's a weapon used by one and all in male-chaunistic world to
define the women's role. The man's worldly religion (that survives on myths, mystification, morals and marriages about women all over) has ever been busy in transforming woman's natural capacities into 'natural restrictions' For them, its God sent, eternal and hence unchangeable. We would never know if the Almighty ever thought about gender justice or at least general justice while playing Chief Justice of the Universe! In a sense, God and Religion in the civilized societies have proved to be the worst grounds of pessimism to keep the women from enjoying social, economic and gender justice. The political systems designed and developed by the men have also been proved to be systems functioning against human rights of the enslaved men and more so in case of women's human rights. The men's God, Religion and politics have no room for Eva.
May be it's our problem and we have to solve it in our own interest. We have democratic societies, culture, religions and a fine blend of them, laws, rules and regulations that have some views and counterviews about women around. They also keep talking a lot about their roles, rights, duties, of course again in terms of their status as mother, wife and daughter. No Great Escape for the poor lot called women folk. The women all over the World longed for nothing more than equal social status within their societies and nations but still appear to be languishing without securing anything much tangible to their credit. Is it because there's something called male superiority to women that holds the men folk back just because they keep doing certain jobs that seek more physical strength which the women folk lacks ? When it comes to natural build up of the body proper, nature has endowed the female with awesome capabilities to bear and rear her off springs. We call the earth 'the mother 'precisely for her in built capabilities to hold every thing she creates and procreates including her 'Masters' who boast themselves to be stronger than the 'Mistresses' for no absolute reason. But then, even the reasoning has been gagged and women have been non plussed for centuries.
The presumption is still effective and influential even though science and technology have made us realize that physical power or strength has nothing to do with productive efficiencies. A Car, a type writer, a computer or plane won't question your sexual status but knowledge, training, skills and alertness while working or operating them .The S& T has cleared lot of myths and doubts about women's capacities and capabilities but the
fundamentalists and communalists have maintained strongest apprehensions against the near half of the humankind through out.
The globalization process also rose to encourage discussions on empowerment of women that came up during the fourth International Women's Conference held in Beijing in 1995. Earlier, UN Decade for Women(1975-85) spoke out for gender justice in the context of ever growing fundamentalism and communalism that played heavy weight against women empowerment that came up for world wide debate during Beijing conference. The women representatives from various nations in all continents spoke and shared their plea, experiences, observations, comments and well defined plans to create a place of their own in the men's world. There was something quite common and mutual in their plight irrespective of their nationality; communal forces and their outfits had succeeded in strengthening their hold on key spheres of the state or nation and society challenged and shared by their own mothers, wives, sisters and daughters. They also held at ransom the Constitutions and judiciaries followed by Communalization of culture, Media, Religion, Ethics. Morals and life styles that dared locate some space and vent for their sexual counterparts all over. The issue in main for the fundamentalists was so much simple; " How dare women divorcees, widows, deserted, and single women and minors stay without male protection?" It means the fundamentalists and communal politicians in each well established civilized society have had something in common to share ;Dear Women, never take our love for granted ; it comes with a tag.. You deserve NO liberty.
Yes! Communal Politics has played a succeeding role in determining the role and rights and limits of women of course without their consent!
Though the G-process opened flood gates for welcoming empowerment of women in key spheres in developing competent nations ,mainly to serve the imperial interests and it allowed certain space for women to speak out their case , the over all process also restricted areas of operation and they in main consisted of beauty contests, fashion shows , ideal moms and hubbies,sexuality etc. that carried and spread the inherent message of secondary and subjugated citizenship for women in the man's trans national marketing process and promoted pro male mental set up.
For now, woman is effectively projected by all the MNCs as viable and easily available means of consummation and consumption .For them (MNCs) the new woman is one all set ready for a go to make her man happy .Our eyes are sour to the sight of half clad beauties sitting or spreading over newest models of cars and bikes .First you will see the luring beauty that's looking at you and roll your eye balls over the vehicle which you hardly can afford to own .But nothing wrong in fantasizing in owning both the beauty and the beast for a moment and You have carried the message; both are created for you and you alone! The Media has played a role in the process. They carry those lustrous ads and the modern happy-go-like nucleus families fantasize with the characters for a while. So is case with No .of other products which project women in their conventional roles; they are free to choose any one of them! Is this new woman is really free (of chains) or just free of charge?
But this is again is not without hidden roles of communal politics and culture. The beauties are from Europe or US since western culture and religion have been projected to
be 'liberal 'in attitude towards women. They love half clad women moving around like tail wielding cows .But show a beauty from Islamic world and they are sure to get another 9/11 within no time. Come India and see the Ideal women popularly known as Bhaaratiya Naari doing her surf washing, carrying cup of coffee or tea for the just returned seemingly tired hubby or a kid jumping straight into the kitchen for a Maggie soup or noodle plate and the ideal mom clad in designer saari serves him what HE wants with a smile.
For Indian male and female, culture and religion move hand in hand and they perform their age old duties as if they are human rights .Even the Indian Constitution has not dared question the practice but allows to continue unhindered. This has proved to be a fine case as to why IC has not made inroads in the family norms designed and nourished since Manusmriti times. As a matter of fact, both IC and Manusmriti have come up with some compromise; IC to take care of political and economic Rights and duties of the Indian citizens and Manusmriti will survive peacefully within the four walls of Hindu families' as it is religion and culture for them with which they identify themselves .Manusmriti just outlines codified duties for man and woman and asserts those duties as eternal. If you flip through some pages, you will come across a fact that it's the Right of man to see to the effective ands result oriented adherence to the duties designed and devised exclusively for woman !The Indian society still prefers to identify it's existence in tune with Manusmriti rather than Indian Constitution .
Yes! It's a matter of choice for free Indians but still so much chained to the social system that never spoke in favor of liberty, equality and fraternity and socio-economic-gender justice.
Let's have a look at the Indian women folk. A recent statistics observes that 85 per cent women in India are religious in practice. They are Hindu in general sense. What about those women with other followings? They are not Hindus in the first place; belong to 'other' religions and faiths and mostly the women belonging to tribal or 'uncivilized' lot that constitute 8 per cent of Indian demography .They (the tribal) have cultures but not religion of their own. Can we say these 15 per cent women lot is secular and enjoys every right conferred on them by the Indian Constitution? Or rather they go by primitive standards of gender justice? This 15% lot must be in parliament or Assemblies by such standards but you still find them in their jungles, Churches and mosques.
Muslim women, they have a different story altogether .When Islam in origin speaks out for equal status and respect for women, the Islamites all over have designed a distinct language of their own and each Muslim woman in India knows well what it stores for her! She is under complete control of introvert Muslim men, clergies, leaders and their fatwa.
If you think Buddhist women enjoy equal status, just meet some of them; they can't call their husbands by personal names, their hubbies or male folk doesn't help them in household work; the women go out to fetch water while the Buddhist males assemble nearby doing nothing. While Jains(trading community) who believe in non-violence etc. have women with single social job; raise rates of dowry for their highly placed sons and nieces and celebrate when a son is born in the family! Equal rights for women? It's western and foreign to us!
The Indian Constitution has conferred equal socio-fundamental rights to each Indian citizen regardless of gender, religion, caste, creed and place of domicile within political and geographical boundaries of India since 26.1.1950. The Indian socio political scenario suggests something else for Indian women. They are destined to learn and practice the religious duties enshrined in Manusmriti that was 'kind enough' to confer lowest status to Indian women in the stratified versions of Manusmriti. So it's here lies the reason why
we have 85 per cent of women practising religious duties for; life time ambitions that include in main, a good husband, healthy kids, stable income and some security .
We now have a Government that says, 'Literate woman means literate family' .And on the face of it we have some around to say 'Literate woman means religious woman '.The learned city dwelling woman has proved to manage both of these features and that must speak out for her in built capabilities to compromise anything that comes her way. That's her version of empowerment; she opts to acquire more and more form man's world step by step without hurting his ego, buying his nod salted with some convenient murmurs worth ignoring.
does cater needs of the vulnerable women in various areas of operation ;they need education, training in self employment, better wages and earnings , some encouragement for saving their own earnings, need a legal and ethical support to protect them from atrocities unleashed on them by their husbands and in-laws , local leaders and Police administration.
They also seek defense against forced marriages and unrestricted flesh trade and prostitution which again have religious sanctions. Rapes have now become a rule to stay rather than exception. Rapes, sexual abuse and sexploitation of women were unknown during pre-historic times .But they have now become cruel most means of control over female body surrounded and justified by fundamentalists, fascists, communal politicians, MNCs ,cynic policy makers, male chaunistic political parties and communalized societies at the root level. The feminist version of 'Our Body Ourselves" has hardly any taker even when the humankind has stepped in 21st century.
Case for empowerment
Background
The issue of women empowerment came into live debate in India during 90s when the then Congress Govt. was apparently busy in sorting out the aftermaths of Dunkel Draft that solicited unilateral globalization process that went duly in favour of US imperialism. Conversion of GATT into WTO. The GOI probably for the first time since independence, sought consensus on the India's role and share in globalization process that initially boasted to bring together all the nations on the earth for all round material development and progress and war less world. Nicknamed 'Global Village ', the process had an hidden agenda to gain and regain due support from the less fortunate nations recognized by the UN and its auxiliary units to ensure imperial interests in the New World Order .It soon turned out to be a clash of sharing world markets and MNC sharks from the West world had to retreat two step backward when some Asian nations set their tigers free to face those sharks.
We need understand what made the powerful nations to switch over from unilateral globalization debate sprinkled with awesome sanctions on nations that questioned political motives behind the so called New World Order to enter into amicable 'dialogues' with less fortunate nations including India . It was a resolute measure to rule the world under the guise of Whiteman's Burden II .The first one opened it's jaws and paws during 18th century during industrial revolution era followed by building up of industrial societies during British colonialism. The Burden II has been unleashed by the US imperialism and is here to stay with 'reachable and rechargeable' compromises with frightened but alert nations .India was instrumental in devising GATT during 1948 and India is still instrumental in mitigating the tensions created during last two decades or so while switching over from GATT to WTO regime .India did pay a price for the episode by agreeing to take up structural adjustments back home( privatization, liberalization and globalization popularly known as KHAUJA – Khasagikaran, Udarikaran and Jagatikikaran).
Will and Ariel Durant defined the new world order in their unique way,'
" The fear of capitalism compelled socialism to widen freedom and the fear of socialism has compelled capitalism to increase equality."
Since India is a unique nation that has combined salient features of both capitalism and socialism during post independence era for planned economic development, we have no way but to view and review the process in the context of what the Durant preferred to observe as it fits well to Indian situation and psyche.
The Indian Govt. ventured into the 'New World Order ' by honoring the 'dialogues' with horny G-8 and launched heavy preparations to convince the Indian voting class simultaneously about its strategic moves and measures to direct the g-process to India's advantage in the long run. One of the measures adopted was Empowerment of the deprived sections including women by allowing some space in high level decisions making process and dignified self employment
It came in package for development, construction of free express high ways inter- connecting all zones, project funding, roping in NGOs, dis-investment measures ,33% Reservation for women in Parliament, State Assemblies , local Bodies and Panchyats, small saving schemes for self employed women and group insurance of the rural artisans ,bank-funding for housing and higher education , measures to raise purchasing power of the employed sections ,promotion of marketing co-operatives, Reservations and filling of posts for OBCs, support new avenues for generating employment and self-sustaining jobs etc.
It also came up with another line of measures; closure of non-performing production units both in Govt. and private sector, VRS, reduction of grants, grant-in-aid and other financial assistance by lessening burden of on plan expenditure for rural industrialization etc.
It as well came with modest smile to welcome the fresh white men burdened with their briefcases full of proposals, offers, collaborations, investment and market plans, take over designs ,electronic house hold appliances and gadgets , donations , project aids, Soft loans, ATM cards, soft drinks , designer clothes, burgers , home delivery system, health care aids , Viagra and pills , call centers and you can make your own additions in the list . All these measures have some share in the making of New Urban India!
Case for women empowerment
Let's ponder for a while over what exactly we mean by Empowerment of women.
Is it something the women in India and elsewhere wish to acquire in the Man's World with or without struggles? How the Government keeps soliciting for women empowerment and tries to keep from it at the same time? What is holding the political parties back over the issue of 33% Reservations in legislatives? Is it the case for earmarking 30% of the seats for OBC and other categories within 33% still under debate? Do we have any plans on hand or mind to curtail drop out rates of girls at primary and secondary level? Can we say women in corporate and service sector efficiently working at par with their male counter parts can be an ideal case for empowered women? Do we have any logical answers for increasing atrocities on new women in the same old way ? Can we dare say a woman farm worker demanding a mere Rs.10 or 20 rise in her wages deserves gang rape by the land lords or their Crop Protection force in broad day light in public? Or at least have we any answers for those women outfits with extreme right wings parties and fundamentalist groups instigating their male foot soldiers to gang rape and destroy the Muslim women and girls during communal riots? What is our stand towards nuns and sisters attacked and paraded naked by the fascist groups within free India now planning for women empowerment?
The circumstances and ground realities compel one to categorize the empowering women in India in the following way;
1. Empowerment of women under Constitutional provisions that are known only to
the students of Political Science in Colleges and the toiling women have no
Knowledge of their citizenship and rights (The rural India)
2. Empowerment of women step by step with religious approval and consents from
Husbands both liberal in attitude and henpecked ones. (The great Indian middle
Class mainly located in cities and towns.)
3. Empowerment of women in affirmative sense in all areas with a view to identify
Their political space and involve them in decision and policy making process in
7.
Progress from village to national level.(The Indian Dance of Democracy)
4. Empowerment of women by honest implementation of the fundamental rights
Provided under Indian Constitution, refurbished through the Mandal
Commission's recommendations and incorporated in UPA's Common Minimum
Program. (Yet undecided consensus among political parties ranging from
Extreme right to extreme left wing parties and paths.
5. Empowerment of women through NGOs and women groups by extending
Funds and facilities by the Govt. (Role of true representatives of the people in
A secular democracy with due commitment and ideological clarity.) .
As it may, the fifth category is to stay to pursue the case for the first four categories. Indeed, the ngos have been supporting the cause of women empowerment in a big but scattered way. The development process is project based, time bound and isolated .It therefore calls for unifying the efforts or at least share and keep the interactions alive.
The Indian secular democracy aims at sustainable socio-economic and gender justice and empowered woman is to respond positively by extending helping hand to those yet in waiting for empowerment with or without any help from men around them.
The women in the past made the earth live worthy for human kind. The present women feel powerless and much disturbed as human beings. The future belongs to women empowered.
After all, what the men want from women?
Peace on Earth. Peaceful society. Peaceful mind .Women can create it if only the men don't disturb it and accept a society based on peaceful co-existence of men and women……… Rest will follow!
--Pradeep Deshpande (Socio-Economic-Political Writer)
In case they dare resist or protest, there's an ultimate weapon flashed against them; The Religion. Indeed it's a weapon used by one and all in male-chaunistic world to
define the women's role. The man's worldly religion (that survives on myths, mystification, morals and marriages about women all over) has ever been busy in transforming woman's natural capacities into 'natural restrictions' For them, its God sent, eternal and hence unchangeable. We would never know if the Almighty ever thought about gender justice or at least general justice while playing Chief Justice of the Universe! In a sense, God and Religion in the civilized societies have proved to be the worst grounds of pessimism to keep the women from enjoying social, economic and gender justice. The political systems designed and developed by the men have also been proved to be systems functioning against human rights of the enslaved men and more so in case of women's human rights. The men's God, Religion and politics have no room for Eva.
May be it's our problem and we have to solve it in our own interest. We have democratic societies, culture, religions and a fine blend of them, laws, rules and regulations that have some views and counterviews about women around. They also keep talking a lot about their roles, rights, duties, of course again in terms of their status as mother, wife and daughter. No Great Escape for the poor lot called women folk. The women all over the World longed for nothing more than equal social status within their societies and nations but still appear to be languishing without securing anything much tangible to their credit. Is it because there's something called male superiority to women that holds the men folk back just because they keep doing certain jobs that seek more physical strength which the women folk lacks ? When it comes to natural build up of the body proper, nature has endowed the female with awesome capabilities to bear and rear her off springs. We call the earth 'the mother 'precisely for her in built capabilities to hold every thing she creates and procreates including her 'Masters' who boast themselves to be stronger than the 'Mistresses' for no absolute reason. But then, even the reasoning has been gagged and women have been non plussed for centuries.
The presumption is still effective and influential even though science and technology have made us realize that physical power or strength has nothing to do with productive efficiencies. A Car, a type writer, a computer or plane won't question your sexual status but knowledge, training, skills and alertness while working or operating them .The S& T has cleared lot of myths and doubts about women's capacities and capabilities but the
fundamentalists and communalists have maintained strongest apprehensions against the near half of the humankind through out.
The globalization process also rose to encourage discussions on empowerment of women that came up during the fourth International Women's Conference held in Beijing in 1995. Earlier, UN Decade for Women(1975-85) spoke out for gender justice in the context of ever growing fundamentalism and communalism that played heavy weight against women empowerment that came up for world wide debate during Beijing conference. The women representatives from various nations in all continents spoke and shared their plea, experiences, observations, comments and well defined plans to create a place of their own in the men's world. There was something quite common and mutual in their plight irrespective of their nationality; communal forces and their outfits had succeeded in strengthening their hold on key spheres of the state or nation and society challenged and shared by their own mothers, wives, sisters and daughters. They also held at ransom the Constitutions and judiciaries followed by Communalization of culture, Media, Religion, Ethics. Morals and life styles that dared locate some space and vent for their sexual counterparts all over. The issue in main for the fundamentalists was so much simple; " How dare women divorcees, widows, deserted, and single women and minors stay without male protection?" It means the fundamentalists and communal politicians in each well established civilized society have had something in common to share ;Dear Women, never take our love for granted ; it comes with a tag.. You deserve NO liberty.
Yes! Communal Politics has played a succeeding role in determining the role and rights and limits of women of course without their consent!
Though the G-process opened flood gates for welcoming empowerment of women in key spheres in developing competent nations ,mainly to serve the imperial interests and it allowed certain space for women to speak out their case , the over all process also restricted areas of operation and they in main consisted of beauty contests, fashion shows , ideal moms and hubbies,sexuality etc. that carried and spread the inherent message of secondary and subjugated citizenship for women in the man's trans national marketing process and promoted pro male mental set up.
For now, woman is effectively projected by all the MNCs as viable and easily available means of consummation and consumption .For them (MNCs) the new woman is one all set ready for a go to make her man happy .Our eyes are sour to the sight of half clad beauties sitting or spreading over newest models of cars and bikes .First you will see the luring beauty that's looking at you and roll your eye balls over the vehicle which you hardly can afford to own .But nothing wrong in fantasizing in owning both the beauty and the beast for a moment and You have carried the message; both are created for you and you alone! The Media has played a role in the process. They carry those lustrous ads and the modern happy-go-like nucleus families fantasize with the characters for a while. So is case with No .of other products which project women in their conventional roles; they are free to choose any one of them! Is this new woman is really free (of chains) or just free of charge?
But this is again is not without hidden roles of communal politics and culture. The beauties are from Europe or US since western culture and religion have been projected to
be 'liberal 'in attitude towards women. They love half clad women moving around like tail wielding cows .But show a beauty from Islamic world and they are sure to get another 9/11 within no time. Come India and see the Ideal women popularly known as Bhaaratiya Naari doing her surf washing, carrying cup of coffee or tea for the just returned seemingly tired hubby or a kid jumping straight into the kitchen for a Maggie soup or noodle plate and the ideal mom clad in designer saari serves him what HE wants with a smile.
For Indian male and female, culture and religion move hand in hand and they perform their age old duties as if they are human rights .Even the Indian Constitution has not dared question the practice but allows to continue unhindered. This has proved to be a fine case as to why IC has not made inroads in the family norms designed and nourished since Manusmriti times. As a matter of fact, both IC and Manusmriti have come up with some compromise; IC to take care of political and economic Rights and duties of the Indian citizens and Manusmriti will survive peacefully within the four walls of Hindu families' as it is religion and culture for them with which they identify themselves .Manusmriti just outlines codified duties for man and woman and asserts those duties as eternal. If you flip through some pages, you will come across a fact that it's the Right of man to see to the effective ands result oriented adherence to the duties designed and devised exclusively for woman !The Indian society still prefers to identify it's existence in tune with Manusmriti rather than Indian Constitution .
Yes! It's a matter of choice for free Indians but still so much chained to the social system that never spoke in favor of liberty, equality and fraternity and socio-economic-gender justice.
Let's have a look at the Indian women folk. A recent statistics observes that 85 per cent women in India are religious in practice. They are Hindu in general sense. What about those women with other followings? They are not Hindus in the first place; belong to 'other' religions and faiths and mostly the women belonging to tribal or 'uncivilized' lot that constitute 8 per cent of Indian demography .They (the tribal) have cultures but not religion of their own. Can we say these 15 per cent women lot is secular and enjoys every right conferred on them by the Indian Constitution? Or rather they go by primitive standards of gender justice? This 15% lot must be in parliament or Assemblies by such standards but you still find them in their jungles, Churches and mosques.
Muslim women, they have a different story altogether .When Islam in origin speaks out for equal status and respect for women, the Islamites all over have designed a distinct language of their own and each Muslim woman in India knows well what it stores for her! She is under complete control of introvert Muslim men, clergies, leaders and their fatwa.
If you think Buddhist women enjoy equal status, just meet some of them; they can't call their husbands by personal names, their hubbies or male folk doesn't help them in household work; the women go out to fetch water while the Buddhist males assemble nearby doing nothing. While Jains(trading community) who believe in non-violence etc. have women with single social job; raise rates of dowry for their highly placed sons and nieces and celebrate when a son is born in the family! Equal rights for women? It's western and foreign to us!
The Indian Constitution has conferred equal socio-fundamental rights to each Indian citizen regardless of gender, religion, caste, creed and place of domicile within political and geographical boundaries of India since 26.1.1950. The Indian socio political scenario suggests something else for Indian women. They are destined to learn and practice the religious duties enshrined in Manusmriti that was 'kind enough' to confer lowest status to Indian women in the stratified versions of Manusmriti. So it's here lies the reason why
we have 85 per cent of women practising religious duties for; life time ambitions that include in main, a good husband, healthy kids, stable income and some security .
We now have a Government that says, 'Literate woman means literate family' .And on the face of it we have some around to say 'Literate woman means religious woman '.The learned city dwelling woman has proved to manage both of these features and that must speak out for her in built capabilities to compromise anything that comes her way. That's her version of empowerment; she opts to acquire more and more form man's world step by step without hurting his ego, buying his nod salted with some convenient murmurs worth ignoring.
does cater needs of the vulnerable women in various areas of operation ;they need education, training in self employment, better wages and earnings , some encouragement for saving their own earnings, need a legal and ethical support to protect them from atrocities unleashed on them by their husbands and in-laws , local leaders and Police administration.
They also seek defense against forced marriages and unrestricted flesh trade and prostitution which again have religious sanctions. Rapes have now become a rule to stay rather than exception. Rapes, sexual abuse and sexploitation of women were unknown during pre-historic times .But they have now become cruel most means of control over female body surrounded and justified by fundamentalists, fascists, communal politicians, MNCs ,cynic policy makers, male chaunistic political parties and communalized societies at the root level. The feminist version of 'Our Body Ourselves" has hardly any taker even when the humankind has stepped in 21st century.
Case for empowerment
Background
The issue of women empowerment came into live debate in India during 90s when the then Congress Govt. was apparently busy in sorting out the aftermaths of Dunkel Draft that solicited unilateral globalization process that went duly in favour of US imperialism. Conversion of GATT into WTO. The GOI probably for the first time since independence, sought consensus on the India's role and share in globalization process that initially boasted to bring together all the nations on the earth for all round material development and progress and war less world. Nicknamed 'Global Village ', the process had an hidden agenda to gain and regain due support from the less fortunate nations recognized by the UN and its auxiliary units to ensure imperial interests in the New World Order .It soon turned out to be a clash of sharing world markets and MNC sharks from the West world had to retreat two step backward when some Asian nations set their tigers free to face those sharks.
We need understand what made the powerful nations to switch over from unilateral globalization debate sprinkled with awesome sanctions on nations that questioned political motives behind the so called New World Order to enter into amicable 'dialogues' with less fortunate nations including India . It was a resolute measure to rule the world under the guise of Whiteman's Burden II .The first one opened it's jaws and paws during 18th century during industrial revolution era followed by building up of industrial societies during British colonialism. The Burden II has been unleashed by the US imperialism and is here to stay with 'reachable and rechargeable' compromises with frightened but alert nations .India was instrumental in devising GATT during 1948 and India is still instrumental in mitigating the tensions created during last two decades or so while switching over from GATT to WTO regime .India did pay a price for the episode by agreeing to take up structural adjustments back home( privatization, liberalization and globalization popularly known as KHAUJA – Khasagikaran, Udarikaran and Jagatikikaran).
Will and Ariel Durant defined the new world order in their unique way,'
" The fear of capitalism compelled socialism to widen freedom and the fear of socialism has compelled capitalism to increase equality."
Since India is a unique nation that has combined salient features of both capitalism and socialism during post independence era for planned economic development, we have no way but to view and review the process in the context of what the Durant preferred to observe as it fits well to Indian situation and psyche.
The Indian Govt. ventured into the 'New World Order ' by honoring the 'dialogues' with horny G-8 and launched heavy preparations to convince the Indian voting class simultaneously about its strategic moves and measures to direct the g-process to India's advantage in the long run. One of the measures adopted was Empowerment of the deprived sections including women by allowing some space in high level decisions making process and dignified self employment
It came in package for development, construction of free express high ways inter- connecting all zones, project funding, roping in NGOs, dis-investment measures ,33% Reservation for women in Parliament, State Assemblies , local Bodies and Panchyats, small saving schemes for self employed women and group insurance of the rural artisans ,bank-funding for housing and higher education , measures to raise purchasing power of the employed sections ,promotion of marketing co-operatives, Reservations and filling of posts for OBCs, support new avenues for generating employment and self-sustaining jobs etc.
It also came up with another line of measures; closure of non-performing production units both in Govt. and private sector, VRS, reduction of grants, grant-in-aid and other financial assistance by lessening burden of on plan expenditure for rural industrialization etc.
It as well came with modest smile to welcome the fresh white men burdened with their briefcases full of proposals, offers, collaborations, investment and market plans, take over designs ,electronic house hold appliances and gadgets , donations , project aids, Soft loans, ATM cards, soft drinks , designer clothes, burgers , home delivery system, health care aids , Viagra and pills , call centers and you can make your own additions in the list . All these measures have some share in the making of New Urban India!
Case for women empowerment
Let's ponder for a while over what exactly we mean by Empowerment of women.
Is it something the women in India and elsewhere wish to acquire in the Man's World with or without struggles? How the Government keeps soliciting for women empowerment and tries to keep from it at the same time? What is holding the political parties back over the issue of 33% Reservations in legislatives? Is it the case for earmarking 30% of the seats for OBC and other categories within 33% still under debate? Do we have any plans on hand or mind to curtail drop out rates of girls at primary and secondary level? Can we say women in corporate and service sector efficiently working at par with their male counter parts can be an ideal case for empowered women? Do we have any logical answers for increasing atrocities on new women in the same old way ? Can we dare say a woman farm worker demanding a mere Rs.10 or 20 rise in her wages deserves gang rape by the land lords or their Crop Protection force in broad day light in public? Or at least have we any answers for those women outfits with extreme right wings parties and fundamentalist groups instigating their male foot soldiers to gang rape and destroy the Muslim women and girls during communal riots? What is our stand towards nuns and sisters attacked and paraded naked by the fascist groups within free India now planning for women empowerment?
The circumstances and ground realities compel one to categorize the empowering women in India in the following way;
1. Empowerment of women under Constitutional provisions that are known only to
the students of Political Science in Colleges and the toiling women have no
Knowledge of their citizenship and rights (The rural India)
2. Empowerment of women step by step with religious approval and consents from
Husbands both liberal in attitude and henpecked ones. (The great Indian middle
Class mainly located in cities and towns.)
3. Empowerment of women in affirmative sense in all areas with a view to identify
Their political space and involve them in decision and policy making process in
7.
Progress from village to national level.(The Indian Dance of Democracy)
4. Empowerment of women by honest implementation of the fundamental rights
Provided under Indian Constitution, refurbished through the Mandal
Commission's recommendations and incorporated in UPA's Common Minimum
Program. (Yet undecided consensus among political parties ranging from
Extreme right to extreme left wing parties and paths.
5. Empowerment of women through NGOs and women groups by extending
Funds and facilities by the Govt. (Role of true representatives of the people in
A secular democracy with due commitment and ideological clarity.) .
As it may, the fifth category is to stay to pursue the case for the first four categories. Indeed, the ngos have been supporting the cause of women empowerment in a big but scattered way. The development process is project based, time bound and isolated .It therefore calls for unifying the efforts or at least share and keep the interactions alive.
The Indian secular democracy aims at sustainable socio-economic and gender justice and empowered woman is to respond positively by extending helping hand to those yet in waiting for empowerment with or without any help from men around them.
The women in the past made the earth live worthy for human kind. The present women feel powerless and much disturbed as human beings. The future belongs to women empowered.
After all, what the men want from women?
Peace on Earth. Peaceful society. Peaceful mind .Women can create it if only the men don't disturb it and accept a society based on peaceful co-existence of men and women……… Rest will follow!
--Pradeep Deshpande (Socio-Economic-Political Writer)
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