The Hindu : Hindutva concept will harm women: Brinda Karat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 10, 2003

National

National

Hindutva concept will harm women: Brinda Karat

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM JAN. 9. The general secretary of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), Brinda Karat, said here today that the concept of Hindutva promoted by the BJP will only prove to be a disaster for women.

Addressing a press conference here today, she said the Hindutva philosophy was anti-women in all respects, for it meant compelling women to accept an inferior status in society.

Ms. Karat was here leading AIDWA's Statewide Sthree Jagratha Jatha, in protest against the recent spurt in atrocities against women in the State.

She said the Hindutva philosophy, in addition to being the greatest threat facing women, was advocating caste system. Terming the RSS as Rashtriya Sarvanash Sangh, she said, instead of promoting nationalism, the organisation was engaged in promoting the dangerous concept of cultural nationalism. "Hindutva is a political ideology to grab political power,'' she said.

Ms. Karat said another trend harmful to women was the abuse of their religious sentiments by the Hindutva forces. A communal twist was being given to such sentiments. As a result, the Hindutva votaries were not only insulting religion, but also religious sentiments.

She said because the targeted Public Distribution System was being deliberately stumped by the BJP Government at the Centre, women were at the receiving end. They were compelled to eat less and to survive, many were forced to go into prostitution, she said.

Ms. Karat said the women's movement was deeply concerned about the growing incidence of violence against women in a State like Kerala, which had in the past been a model for women's movement and for all those who believed in social justice.

"The BJP promotes the policies of liberalisation being earnestly pursued by the UDF Government and this has resulted in the erosion of many of the cherished traditional values for which Kerala was once a model. It appears that the `guru' of the UDF Government is the BJP-led Government at the Centre," she said.

Ms. Karat said the procession organised under the auspices of the AIDWA was for creating awareness against the erosion of such values. It also wanted to give a call to the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, not to destroy Kerala's traditions through liberalisation policies. The `jatha', which started from Kasaragod, was given a rousing reception at 300 points in the State, she said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National