Hyderabad: Dr. Shahida, Professor, Department of Women’s Education, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, has observed that the Women’s Reservation Bill cleared by the Parliament should not pave the way for the ‘home rule’ movement of the already established politicians and power-hungry forces in society.
Addressing a well-attended webinar on ‘India’s Power-Sharing Politics: The Women Reservation Bill,’ conducted by the Women’s Wing of the Public Relations Society of India’s Hyderabad chapter last night, Prof.Shahida said: “At last the long-pending Bill has been cleared by parliamentarians. But, the reservation shouldn’t be misused by proxies as it happened in panchayat raj institutions.” She narrated instances she found during her field research wherein men enjoyed the power of their womenfolk by grossly violating the provisions of the law.
Prof. Shahida said that there is an urgent need for comprehensive law reforms simultaneously to achieve the objective of the Bill. “Despite the loopholes in the system, let us hope that reservation for women would ensure inclusiveness, participatory democracy, and social equilibrium. Laws to prevent atrocities against women should be brought in to empower women.”
While concurring with the general perception that women’s issues would get priority in legislatures if there were more women in it, she said that men should also play a role in boosting the morale of women for the success of democracy.
A good number of students from numerous colleges around India, PR professionals, Corporate Communication experts, academicians, and PRSI members took part in the webinar, chaired by the PRSI Women’s Wing convenor Dr Anita. PRSI Hyderabad Chapter Chairman Dr S.Ramu, Secretary K.Y.Giri, National Legal Advisor Y.Babji, Women’s Wing Advisors, C.Rama Devi, Dr.Mamata Raghuvir and Anindita Mookerjee Sinha, and Wing’s coordinator Dhanya Chowdary were also present.
