In a land where tradition dances with modernity, and aspirations strive against antiquated norms, the state of gender equality in India appears to be caught in a perplexing web of contradictions.
Let's ask one simple question - are our big schemes doing enough, or are they just big talk?
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Let's address the elephant in the room - or rather, the lack of rooms. Washrooms for women, a basic necessity, seem to be overshadowed by a defence budget of Rs 6,21,540.85 crore that could probably buy several small islands. Whereas a budget of Rs 1179.72 crore was allocated by the centre to ‘Safety of Women’, under an umbrella of schemes.
We find ourselves in a peculiar situation where the allocation of funds raises eyebrows, especially when juxtaposed with the struggles women face daily. After all, what good is a mighty military if we can't ensure basic sanitation and hygiene for half the population?
Now, onto the legal labyrinth. Several surveys have exposed a disconcerting reality; while a majority of Indians champion the idea of equal rights for women, our laws often fall short of turning this vision into a tangible reality. From differing inheritance laws based on gender to peculiar age thresholds for marriage, the legal landscape seems to be navigating a maze of contradictions.
Let's take a peek at the marriage paradox. The minimum age for marriage varies for boys and girls, perpetuating the age-old belief that a wife should be younger than her husband. While we're busy breaking barriers in space exploration, it seems we're yet to dismantle the patriarchal scaffolding in our marriage laws. Perhaps it's time for our legal system to age gracefully into the 21st century.
Speaking of commitment, marital rape remains a ghost in the legal closet. Despite progress in acknowledging women's rights, the absence of criminalization for marital rape is a glaring gap. The punishment for raping a separated wife is distinctly lighter than that for assaulting any other woman. It's time we question why a woman's marital status seems to determine the severity of justice.
Now, let's delve into the fix of guardianship laws. The Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act designates the father as the "natural guardian" of a child. While this may seem like an outdated script from a bygone era, it's disheartening to discover that custody of children under five is 'ordinarily' awarded to the mother. Why not a more equitable distribution from the start?
Financial independence takes centre stage when marriages crumble, yet even here, equality falters. Post-divorce, an Indian woman is entitled only to maintenance from her husband, with no claim to jointly acquired assets. It's a baffling contradiction – how can women be equal partners in marriage but not in the property that comes with it?
Where do we stand in this perplexing puzzle of rights and realities? It's clear that India harbours progressive views on women's roles in society, yet our laws often seem to drag their feet when translating these ideals into concrete protections. Perhaps it's time to recalibrate our priorities, reconsider the allocation of funds and rewrite archaic laws to truly reflect the spirit of equality we claim to uphold.
Let's not allow the weight of a hefty government budget to overshadow the need for washrooms and basic rights for women. It's time for our laws to shed their outdated garments and don a more modern, egalitarian attire. After all, a nation's true strength lies not just in its military might but in the equal standing and protection of all its citizens. It's time for India to stride confidently into a future where equality is not just a lofty ideal but a lived reality.
(The author is the DIG (Admn & STF), Assam. All views and opinions expressed in the article are the author’s own)