Men & women equel?

Men & Women equal?

There is wide talk and debate particularly in India about the equality of men and women in the society as well as at home, While the debate goes on in elite circles and on the Internet space, we see in the news about ill treatment of women, domestic violence, and public assaults or rape by unruly elements of the society. Legal action is taken in such cases but justice is delayed due to the lethargic functioning of our judicial system. Consequently pubic outcry on the delay or inadequacy of punishment to the perpetrators of crime against women gets viral on media. Why this confusion? Can we spare some free thoughts on the subject?

In Nature men and women are made differently. They are designed to play complementary roles in life not only in the area of procreation of the species but also in the society at large.  This complentaraity is often misunderstood as male's superiority and female weakness. Indian religions (Hindu, Muslim, Christian all) have misused this misunderstanding and exploited women's position in the society. Accordingly male rule makers have composed religious literature to support their evil designs (Manu Smrithi for example). Religious leaders and priest class have used these tenets to create an unequal society in the past. Past kings and lords were hand in glove with the clergy in this societal malice. After Indian independece this anomaly was legally corrected to an extent but there are enormous short comings in implementation.

Let me give some examples. Frequent child bearing had confined women to the household and let the men earn their living. Now that the frequency of child bearing has come down in literate families leading to the coming of double income families, in such families equality of men and women is somewhat visible. Such families are fewer in number in some states. There the old customs are still


prevail.  For example there are Khap Panchayats decide the women's fate using male dominance as a yardstick. In some other states where the literacy is higher and widespread the situation is better.


Can we discuss this issue on this forum?

MKV Narayan, Chennai.