Michael Vaz
No matter how progressive we think we are, there are some deep rooted taboos and other age-old regressive practices so deeply ingrained in our system, which negate our best achievements and downgrade our recognition globally. One of the social evils which has remained unattended in our country since ages is the misery and hardships encountered by the widows. In this regard the Loomba Foundation, an NGO recognised by the UN, fighting for the rights of widows is doing yeomen service to safeguard the rights of widows and their rehabilitation.
On Saturday, on the occasion of International Widows’ Day organised by this foundation, the Vice President of India highlighting on the social restrictions like the widow remarriage and denial of their inherent rights, made a categorical remark that if a widower can remarry, then what is the problem in a woman getting remarried after her husband’s death. It is basically a societal problem and there is a need for the change in people’s mindset. On the same platform the Union Law Minister also stressed on the same issue and assured the foundation that his ministry would make a decisive intervention in favour of the right of widows when the matter comes up in the Supreme Court. The social taboos have made the life of women miserable in our patriarchal society and the government should be appreciated for working for the dignity of women.
Next the Swachh Bharat or Clean India movement initiated by the government and hailed even by the UN, to imbibe in our people the importance of cleanliness is worth stressing. It is fitting to mention that in the ‘Swachh Survekshan-2018’ conducted by India, Indore in MP was reckoned as the cleanest city and Jharkhand as the cleanest state. Some cities have gone down in the ranking and some others have risen higher indicating that cleanliness in India is gaining momentum.
Deplorably, the same survey has disclosed that 7 of the 10 dirtiest municipal areas are from West Bengal and moreover among the 25 dirtiest cities 19 are from the same state, of which Mamata Banerjee of TMC party is the Chief Minister. She should open her eyes and instead of labelling BJP as terrorist organisation concentrate on cleanliness and eliminate lawlessness and violence marring the state, recollecting the 12 deaths that took place in the recent Panchayat elections, making it the ‘danga raj’.
