Friday 8 March 2013

Women's Day

Women’s Day
By Justice Markandey Katju
            On the occasion of International Women’s Day (8.3.2013) I send my humble salute and greetings to the brave Indian women, particularly of poor and middle class sections of society (who consist of 90% of our population), who are bravely feeding and looking after their families on the meager amount their husbands or they themselves are earning, and that too anonymously and with heroic self effacement. It is estimated that about half of our children are malnourished. This means that that almost 75% of our women are malnourished, because a women would rather remain hungry herself than see her children hungry. A large number of our women are anaemic.   And yet despite this situation, and the exorbitant rise of prices of foodstuffs, medicines, etc in our country, our women are undauntedly struggling, inconspicuously and in anonymity, to keep their families going, often toiling from morning to night. Do they not deserve our praise and salute? I regard them as our true heroes.
            Many Indian women suffer from many discriminations and indignities, from cradle to grave, indeed often even before being born, as is evident from the large scale female foeticide in our country. I have written about all this in my articles on my blog justicekatju.blogspot.in (see the articles ‘On Women’s’ Emancipation’, ‘Sex Workers are also Human Beings’, ‘Crimes against Women’, ‘Sex Workers must not be looked down upon’, etc. Hence I am not elaborating on my views.
            I once again salute my Indian sisters on the occasion of Women’s Day. May the day come soon when they do not have to bear such back breaking burdens, and are given genuine equality with men.     

9 comments:

  1. I appreciate and share the kind gesture of Justice Katju who has paid rich tributes to the women in India. While today is acclaimed as the International Women's Day, I believe we must follow the spirit of the day on all 365 days 24x7. Women in our lives (starting with our mothers) sacrifice so much for our sake that the least we can do for them is to respect them and appreciate their contribution to our families (and workplaces). They are the true home-makers, though they are often known as 'housewives' which is quite an archaic term to use in the 21st century.
    I shall continue to respect and admire the resilience I have seen in women I have closely interacted with, and hope my fellow countrymen will learn to do so too, so we can have more Kalpana Chawlas and Kiren Bedis to look up to, and not create more 'Nirbhayas' who will make us hang our heads in shame.

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    1. I endorse your views especially on the spirit of respecting woman round the clock no matter what day it is..

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  2. I entirely agree with you. Brave Indian women have see to see the worst specially in a country like India. Mind you the United nation has described India as most dangerous country to be born as a girl... below link here..

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/9054429/India-most-dangerous-place-in-world-to-be-born-a-girl.html

    A girl specially in village has to fight in the womb till grave. Female Foeticide, rape, dowry, social neglect, marital problem, no empowerment, domestic violence, honour killings. Other than that malnutrition, infant mortality, pregnancy complications. I feel India has not improved since independence in fact became worst.

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  3. Love him, hate him, you can't ignore him, Chakkili Thayoli, no matter how ignorant you are.

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  4. I have one question; Why call women a fair-sex? Are we think male should be Rough-sex?

    My second question, why ask everything from women? Why not ask some tough questions from men? Why she should be “Sati”? Why no talk about “Brahmcharya”?

    I asked these questions in my blog post also.

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  5. I endorse your views heartily.
    Indian women are not those chocolate faces and sophisticated looking faces we see on Television.

    You still continue to get comments here with expletives and sans culture. ( Yep, thanks#39;s me) is one such above.

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  6. Seen this era is like famine of intellectuals in our country. We see only one man strive to say against all odds. No other dignitaries have such place or forum to support poor section of women which is about 75% in India. Getting ahead of time we must hold respect for all whether it is child, women, elders, etc. I have seem so many moments in my life that does embarrass me only when I see youngsters are fighting merely important issues. Thanks Sir for your great and respected views for women.

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  7. Indian women should think practically as to how they can protect their dignity without depending upon others including the government. This article has the answer. http://thinkerspad.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/empowering-women-with-firearms/

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  8. Humble Request
    Sir please ignore and curse who try to trap innocent men by using 498 A ." They are Devils not women". So please .... Curse them who involved in devil's act

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