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By Abhishek Pandey

Council of Degree College principles have decided to ban mobile phones for all students and wearing jeans for girl students in the colleges in Kanpur. The latter decision taken by principles have created furor among the girl students and women organization. In the wake of unconstitutional decisions taken by the university professors, Uttar Pradesh government has warned universities and colleges to stay away from theses kinds of unconstitutional norms in the colleges.

Earlier, the similar decision taken by the Principle of Dayanand Girls Degree College was criticized by the feminist groups. The principal of the college said in an interview, which was published in the newspaper, that the body hugging jeans invite sexually coloured remarks to girl students and it might tempt eve teasers. The reason of ban given by the principal was not justifiable. It is like that ‘Don’t earn money because it might invite thieves to rob you.’ The victims of eve teasing were given punishment rather to put a stop on eve teasing and other molestation cases in the city, which happen with the girls without any discrimination on the ground of attires. The council wants to clad girl students in ‘modest’ dresses like salwar suits to protect girls from the uncontrollable activities of bad elements.

Most of the women organizations are of the view that it is total infringement of women’s fundamental rights which are enshrined in the constitution of India. Article 15 of the constitution prohibits any one to discriminate any citizen of India on the ground of sex, caste or religion. Article 21 of the constitution gives the rights to everyone to move freely and live life with dignity. The decision of the council does not give a damn to it. It seems that Principles of degree colleges are ignoramus about the constitutional rights of women.

The council has not given any special instruction to boys on dress code. This discrimination is against the constitution. Though, Article 39 of Indian constitution enables the state institutions to take affirmative actions for women empowerment but the institution seems to work against it. Indian government and other non government institutions are fighting for the rights of women because the progress of the nation can not speed up without including the female population, which amount to 48% of the total population. Even after the independence the female literacy ration could not cross 50% though government has implemented special educational schemes for the girls. These discriminatory decisions would discourage girls morally and made them feel second class citizens.

Recently, France President Nicholas Sarkozy has decided that veiling, which is prevalent in Islamic culture, was not welcome in the country because it was no a symbol of religion but sign of subservience for women. Indian intelligencia like professors of Chatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (Kanpur) should learn lessons from the France.

Police administration of the city must ensure the safety of the girls from the bad elements of the society. Banning jeans is not an appropriate solution to put a stop on these wrongdoings. It will rather boost the morale of hooligans. Either college administration should make similar rules for both genders or they should restrain themselves from taking unfair norms. Modesty in college dress is needed. As for as the dress code in the colleges is concerned, not only girls but also boys should follow the self made regulations to maintain the decorum of the educational institutes.

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By Abhishek Pandey

D connotes a bad word in economic capital and Bollywood city Mumbai which resembles Dawood & co. It haunted the city for so many years and has given innumerable wounds to the city. ‘D’ exists in Delhi also but means something else. Here, it means dynasty. It is also bad for the health of Delhi, the political capital of the country.

Indians are not allergic to dynastic politics in the country since independence. Nehru- Gandhi family has ruled the country for so many years. This trend is mushrooming and expanding its tentacles like anything in recent times.  From Kashmir valley to Kanyakumari and from Arabian Sea to Bay of Bengal, dynastic politics exist in India. This election is not the exception and has given chance to many political scions from different parties. It is the general idea among the entire ‘intellectual class’ that dynasty hurts democracy. India follows the democratic procedures in the elections but there are doubts about democracy with in the political parties. This is the reason many parties in India has become the family business.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Chennai, Janta Dal (Secular) in Karnataka, Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh, National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir, Akalis and Congress in Punjab, Bhajan Lal and sons’ Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) and former deputy PM of India Devi Lal and family’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana, Lalu and family’s Rastriya Janta Dal (RJD) in Bihar, Chauvan and Thackeray in Maharashtra are few of the parties dominated by dynasty in the country. These are the example of few families which have ruled the political platform in their respective states.

After this election, DMK chief Karunanidhi has demanded cabinet births for his family members including his niece Dayanidhi Maran, Stalin, M. Azhagiri, and her daughter Kanimozhi. It seems he has prepared his political will for the family. He has offered his son M. Azhagiri and Dayanidhi Maran cabinet births after hard negotiation with the Congress and elevated the stature of his son Stalin by making him deputy chief minister of Tamilnadu. Karunakaran’s family has ruled the Kerala for long. NT Ramarao and his son in law Chandrababu Naidu has enjoyed the power in Andhra Pradesh.  

Mulayam Singh of SP is not an exception. He has given tickets to his family members. His brother, son and nephew have the benefit of special consideration in the party. Shiv Pal Yadav, his brother holds important position in the party. His son has contested from two seats and won both the seats in these Lok Sabha elections. His nephew Dharmendra Yadav has also won from Badaun by defeating DP Yadav, a don turned politician. Rastriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Ajit Singh is the son of former Prime Minister Charan Singh. In Bihar, Lalu has been promoting his wife Rabri, brothers in law Sadhu and Subhash Yadav, Brother Gulab Yadav, sister in law Kunti Devi for long. Though, his brothers in law have separated from the party and joined the congress party.

Punjab is another example of this ill trend. Badal’s are ruling in the state. Prakash Singh Badal as Chief Minister, who is set to transfer his political chair to his son Sukhbhir Singh Badal, Deputy CM of Punjab. Harsimrat Kaur, wife of Sukhbir Singh has also entered in the political arena. Capt. Amrinder Singh of congress has also promoted his son and wife in the politics. In Orissa, Patnayak family has also led the Orissa and still Naveen Patnayak is the chief minister of the state. 

Now, if we look at the recent emergence of new faces from the political families in this General elections then it can scare a true democrat.  Many young turks have got the chance to step in Lok Sabha. It is good news but the sad part of the story is that most of them are from political families. Politics is not their achievement but they have got them from their parents. Rahul Gandhi, Priya Dutt, Nilesh Rane, Milind Deora, Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindhia, Jitin Prasad of Congress. The names of theses family born leaders does not stop here. It also includes youngest MP of the India, Hamidullah Sayeed of congress.

This List is not only from Congress party. Manvendra Singh, son of BJP stalwart Jaswant Singh, Supriya Sule of NCP, and Akhilesh Yadav of SP has political background. Agatha Sangma, who became the MP in the last by polls and also won this election, is the daughter of National Congress Party leader and former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma. D. Purandeswari of Telgu Desham Party is the daughter of actor turned politician NT Ramarao. The list continues with other leaders of different parties. All these leaders have reached the parliament from their bedroom of their house by holding the finger of their parents. Is this the lot, we want as young leaders?

These leaders may or may not believe that they have got back door entry in politics. They may be under illusion that they did hard to get in the parliament. But, fact remains the same that they opt short cut. We need the young blood in Indian politics but not when others are neglected and have not given chance to represent the people. India is democratic state but it will turn in to a neo-monarchic state, if parties remain to follow the dynastic trails. India needs democracy with in the political parties.

Are we ready for the change ?

 

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