Reserved for whom?

A lot is being said and written about women, women who fought terrorists, who escaped domestic violence, who saved a toddler, who are businesswoman, making style statement, powerful woman. The idea of secular, republic and democratic India is taking shape for the first time since independence. Irrespective of sex, caste, creed, religion. We are yet to start baby steps in the other three, but firstly the sex seems to be gaining some importance. Especially after all the ballyhoo on 33% reservation for women, when we are preaching equality, the Women’s Reservation Bill on International Woman’s Day.

I know it is difficult for any man to understand what it takes to be a woman. Does it solve our issues or helps in abstaining our responsibilities by dedicating and celebrating one day in the name of woman? Pillars, symbols, parades, day’s definitely help in some way or the other. Though every day is woman’s day. A woman commands and must get respect in her home, workplaces and wherever she decides to go. The day is not far when men will be struggling for their rights.

Now getting back to the whole drama of getting the Woman’s Reservation Bill across the river. Putting things into ink and accepting it in spirit is a different ball game altogether. But then it should not be the reason for not inking in future. The whole script which ran during the process has taught many lessons.

Women from all parties joined hands after their feat on 9^th March 2010. The whole fracas is not for women’s reservation. But the battle is the build up for the War. Guess, we could comprehend, and hope it is for the better. In India, when Parliamentarians lock their horns, it is never over an issue, it is for something which serves their own/personal (can be read as party or staying in power) larger interests (read as of no use to so

ciety).

Ten/twenty years down the line, I hope I may not be running for getting my children a fake certificate under some privileged (read reserved like SC/ST. OBC, minority) category because over a period of time, we would realize there are hardly any seats left for general category. I may carry fear revealing my GENERAL category status.

But still, the optimistic will say, the structure of Reservations is changing and may undergo a complete overhaul in the coming decade. But it is here to stay. Yes, we have to not only live but die with it. All the politicians can fight for is percentage and not for abolishment of five years scheme from Nehru and Gandhi.

The perpetrators carrying the flame of under privileged categories are concerned that woman’s reservation will skew the proportion of Reservation of Dalits, OBCs. It is indeed a nice thought. Woman’s reservation will definitely eat the share from Dalits, OBCs and they hope to preserve the loss from Dalits to female Dalits. The point Yadav’s (Sharad – Lalu - Mulayam) made and over which they ransacked the Chair of Rajya Sabha (aka Vice President of India). 2-4% members aggressive gesture stalled the proceedings of the House. But the good part was the consensus of the House to 85 – 90%, fifteen years after the idea of Women’s Reservation was first raised in the Legislature. The Reserved Category is already addressing the needs/problems of SC, STs, OBCs (the most important and the biggest), Muslims, other minorities, freedom fighter, sports, North-East region, Jammu & Kashmir Category, Armed Forces, Border Forces, Underprivileged (destitutes, lost limbs), etc. etc. Of course, all of them are not found in all the reservations but yes then for different examinations, nominations, elections, selections, all such kinds of reservations are taken into consideration. However, the woman’s reservation only talks about this in legislature; Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, district bodies, local and civic bodies and Panchayats.

The Woman’s reservation is commitment from a foreign lady towards the Indian people. Congress did prove its mantle and they are capable of handling and making tough decisions, which previously they lacked and were always blackmailed by its political allies. This time, they said, Yes, we will talk about numbers but first the issue. The issue or the numbers, whichever comes first, the second loses the importance by the time, its turn comes.

But the way Yadav’s are suggesting the Bill to be drafted and desgined, it will become extremely difficult to segregate, allocate seats, issues. But may bring clarity at the same time.

To give a broad idea about the whole structure, currently out of 543 seats in Lok Sabha, 181 will be allocated for women. Out of this 181, 37.5% will go to SC/ST, OBCs woman candidates, 9.5% for Muslim woman candidates, 4% for some other type of woman candidates and hopefully 50% of it will be preserved for general category woman candidates. Quota within quota?

Until then, we can continuously shout the slogan with Mamta-di (Chief and Railway Minister) and Trinamool Congress members, were seen singing the famous song -- "We shall overcome some day".