Women’s growing visibility: in politics, police, bureaucracy science, space and specialist bodies : seems to have given new hope to those who want reservation and sprung new fears in the minds of those who oppose it. Sonia Gandhi, Prathiba Patil and now, Meira Kumar, have made it on their own politically, though with some very obvious advantages facilitating their entry : lineage, either by birth or marriage, the grovelling sycophancy of their adherents, political backing and strategy. Auspicious calling cards such as these have often expedited careers but to remain in power, candidates need to show political sagacity, executive vision and if they do not already have it, acquire enough intelligence to strategise their moves to realize their aspirations for the constituency and the nation.

Taking from Manu to give to Mandal is as questionable as taking from Peter to give Paul. Equally so would be taking from Kumar to give to Kalavathi. Many find it unacceptable that this writer with a mindset very desirous of women’s empowerment and their legitimate political presence, should also argue against reservation. Reservation dilutes merit however much one believes that it is not a concession but compensation for a group historically sidelined on flimsy grounds. Even seen as affirmative action benefiting the suppressed classes it takes away from one group to give to another. The scope for malpractice, fully exploited by those getting fake certificates of caste identity is an avoidable danger.

Democracy does not mean everything for everybody at the cost of suitability for the job. That women would be weakened by quotas because of division into groups within groups is another very real danger. Take rather than be given or be “allowed to contest”. The goal should be radical change in behaviour and mindsets not mere enhancement of winnabilty. No man is going to commit political suicide by offering his constituency to be reserved for women or suddenly turn so selfless as to nurse his constituency after knowing that rotation would ensure that he should fight the next elections from a different place. This fear would further diminish the quantum and quality of work put in by elected members and further reduce their contribution to progress

Let’s make the cut on our own; forming the team and staying in it will be a cakewalk after that. Why beg to slip in through the back door when you can walk in with your head held high? “ Who Will Make the Chappathies ?” was the title of a study of women in the Panchayats in Maharashtra because that was the question most men asked when told their wives’ presence was desirous outside the domestic walls. Changing fundamental stereotypes such as these would be more enabling. Some have argued that even if it starts with gudiyas for the gadis, experience will empower new entrants. Most factions are looking at the issue at a very superficial level and sacrificing the big picture, overlooking bigger fights for greater freedoms.

An alternative to the Women’s Reservation Bill was proposed as early as 2003.With its emphasis on sustainable representation and methods of achieving it, it found endorsement among many groups. Some proposed dual member constituencies for ‘equality’. But none of these proposals has been scrutinized carefully or solutions really explored because the will is lacking and the perspective skewed. Electoral reform with provisions like the right to recall on-performing or corrupt legislators are a must to beat complacency. There must be pressure to perform and better eligibility criteria must be enforced while choosing candidates. A child drowns in a drain and after a week the search for the body given up; patients die in hospitals because of negligence or callousness on the part of medical staff; sleeping pavement dwellers get run over by underage, drunk-driving yuvrajas; residents forced to live in unacceptable environments die of rat-bite in India’s Silicon Valley and the incredibly frequent power cuts plunge citizens in more than physical darkness…the list is endless but no one’s head is hanging in shame.

The churning of transitionary times can be seen even in traditionally conservative societies. Kuwaiti women have achieved a historic milestone by winning their first ever seats in the Gulf state’s parliament just 4 years after winning the right to vote. Aseel al- Awadhi was expected to win a seat, but no one predicted she would come in second place. But the backlash has also promptly registered as a lawsuit against 2 of the four winning women for not wearing the veil. Female candidates alone have to keep to Islamic law, not males “Frustration with the past 2 parliaments pushed voters to seek change.And here it comes in the form of this sweeping victory for women,” said Awadhi after the results came in. The electorate itself has changed so much—in profile and expectations. If India’s recent election is a trendsetter, it will swiftly punish the disappointing candidate Newer issues have grown in importance and some old ones acquired a new urgency—economic recovery and allied matters like employment and development, housing, roads, public transport, inflation and one’s place in the sun as individual and country. Transparency and efficiency of governance and integrity of Parliament members outstrip other considerations. Therefore candidates who promise to attend to these are gaining ground worldwide. Obama has scored a historic win on a platform of change and national confidence-boosting. The ability to deal hands-on with huge problems on a global scale is a 21st century necessity. The gender of the legislator / provider is getting less important even as the sense of outrage at deliberate stalling to keep half the population out of power is gaining heat. In one of her classes, the Mother said to the Ashram children : “For god’s sake, can’t you forget you are a girl or a boy and try to become a good human being?”

Women moaning in victim mode and men continuing the patriarchal scheme of things are both suspect. Improving governance and providing a safe democracy for citizens, where Surat and Shopian-like tragedies and government fumbling in tackling them will be rare, is the greatest need of a great number.

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