Parrikar expresses need in change of mindset towards women

Parrikar expresses need in change of mindset towards women
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MARCH 28
Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar has emphasized on the need to change the mindset towards women if the proposed 33 per cent reservation bill for Women becomes successful.
He was speaking at a symposium on “Women’s Reservation Bill” organized by the Public Cause Foundation in the city here on Sunday.
Supporting the proposed Bill giving 33 per cent reservations for women, Parrikar said that Indian culture had always given respect and honour to women and felt that the very mind set should change in the society if the proposed law becomes successful. “If 33 per cent reservation for women is to become successful, men should lend a helping hand for women within the four walls of homes.
Lamenting that gender equality has not come about in politics in the country despite the country having a woman Prime Minister and now a woman President, Parrikar said the changes would come only if there is a change in the mind set towards women.
Saying that politicians are most accountable to the people as compared the bureaucrats and the Judiciary as they go to the people every five years, Parrikar said it will not be easy for the existing lot of politicians to get their wives or daughters elected as MLAs or MPs.
Parrikar said he personally favoured that the 33 per cent reservation was given to women over a period of three elections. Saying that there are both advantages and disadvantages of reservations, Parrikar said reservations can create a class with women from rich statra of society taking advantage of the system.
In her address, former Chief Minister, Shashikala Kakodkar said the 33 per reservation Bill as and when passed should benefit the large number of women. “Women in high class society are well off. The Bill should really benefit the women and make them independent’, she said.
Kakodkar called for changing the society’s mindset towards women, saying that law alone would not bring in equality and recalled how the present lot of politicians denied party tickets to women in the elections.
Saying that politics is just one aspect of development of women, Kakodkar, however, expressed her satisfaction that women are now in the fore front in the corporate sector as evident by the number of women employed in banks, companies etc.
Noted scientist and celebrated author, Dr Nandkukar Kamat said the women reservation would help end the stranglehold of many MLAs over their constituencies and called for an awareness campaign in favour of the reservations for women.
Women activist Albertina Almeida also spoke. Earlier, President of Public Cause Foundation, Adv Jagdish Prabhudesai welcomed, while event-in-charge Miss Nazira Shaikh also spoke.