Dripping with Commitment

I met Dr. Anjali Mehta at the Kalam Conclave held at Lucknow, a few months ago. It was there that I first heard of her organization Justice Seekers and the kind of work they do. And I was impressed enough to go and introduce myself to the remarkable lady. Hence, months later, when I got a call from her I was more than delighted. Of course on hearing from her, but more so, on hearing about what she recounted to me on that call.

After all, how many times in your life do you experience a magical moment, without even getting to witness it first hand?

The following account was narrated to me by Dr. Anjali Mehta.

On 14th September, the famous Delhi Haat of New Delhi, was preparing to host an event; Mahila Aarakshan Bill - Bees Saal Shantipoorvak Sangharsh. The event was being organized by several prominent women's groups like JWP, NFIW, AIDWA, CSR, YWCA-N, WPC, MWF, CBCI, AIDMAM, VIVAT, Guild of Service, Justice Seekers, Conference of Religions amongst many other.

The agenda was to get together and express their solidarity for adequate representation of women in Parliament and demand the passage of the women's reservation bill. The bill advocates that a minimum of 33% legislators - chosen after contesting and winning elections in their constituencies - must be women. It aims at ensuring that more and more women are given a just opportunity to fight and win elections and serve their country at the highest levels of government. The bill was introduced in the year 1996 and passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2008, but has been stalled in the Lok Sabha ever since.

Something that is not only a right of the women, but also a step towards a stronger and more inclusive government, has been hanging in the limbo for the last twenty years. Twenty years, of women demanding their rights in a peaceful and constitutional way. Twenty years, of being ignored by the successive governments. Twenty years, of a lot of melodrama and patriarchal blarney thrown at these women, but no solutions.

The event was proceeding as planned when the rain gods decided to unleash their sudden fury. It fell without a warning and thick as sheet. The crowd scampered about to find a roof or an awning to protect themselves. The chairs which had all been occupied, till just a moment ago, now stood abandoned in the deluge. The chairs and the speaker, Dr. Ranjana Kumari, that is.

Dr. Kumari, the iconic Director of Center for Social Research, however, continued with her speech unflinchingly, braving the rains. For a few minutes, all one could hear was the drone of the raindrops and Dr. Kumari’s conviction laden voice rising above it. She continued to speak, of the women and their rights and what needs to be done to attain them, as if the rains did not even touch her. Although the truth was, she was soaking wet.

The next few moments were when the magic unfurled; a magic which unbridled passion like that can create. People started taking notice of Dr. Kumari. They stood rooted in their places, listening aptly to her. A man who handled the logistics walked over, expressing concerns that the microphone might short-circuit in the rain. She was then offered a hand-held mike, using which she went on with her speech. Dr. Mehta walked up to the stage and put an umbrella over Dr. Kumari’s head, who was still talking with fervent energy. Dr. Jitender, Dr. Mehta’s colleague, then walked up took over the shielding job from her.

A few minutes later, the rain finally subsided. People started to come out of their shades and congregate again.

Quite a few, still mesmerized with what they had just witnessed, wanted the programme to continue, but Dr Ranjana advised against it as many people were wet and needed to change their clothes. What needed to be said, had in any case been said; and more importantly ‘heard’ by everyone.

As I heard Dr. Mehta recount the above episode, I could feel every bit of the thrill of that moment. The way Dr. Mehta spoke of that day, her excitement and admiration for Dr. Kumari and the other speakers from that day, flowing through the phone lines and reaching me, made me wish I could have been there and see it all for myself. Dr. Kumari’s dedication for the cause had clearly made a mark on Dr. Mehta. And why wouldn’t it? How often, after all, does one come across passion and commitment as pure as this? And what Dr. Kumari and all the other women present at that event are fighting for needs just that. The whole episode seemed like a metaphor of what this fight is all about – while most people have stepped away into the safe confines, some women continue to be at the forefront and fight, braving all the odds. Eventually, their grit would be noticed and bear the desired result.

The Women’s Reservation Bill isn’t just an opportunity the women are demanding. It is a right to participate in the functioning, growth and development of a country which is as much their own as the men’s, if not more. It is of course, lamentable that the fight is taking this long; in fact, that there is a fight over this at all. But when I hear of such warriors like Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Dr. Jyotsna Chatterji (Director JWP), Dr. Chandra Rajan (Advocate, Supreme Court). Dr. Padmini Kumar (Organizer of the event) and many other women like them present there that day, it makes me hopeful. Women who are willing to face anything and everything to continue their fight. Everything, clearly, that man or even God can subject them to.

May their tribe increase!

#WomenReservationBill #WomenPower #FightforRight