Gender

Five Years of Modi Govt Sees Deterioration in Women’s Status

THE Modi government’s five years have led to a deterioration in women’s status on several important fronts. The overall pro-corporate thrust of the government’s policies on the economic front, its blatant assault on the constitutional principles of democracy and secularism and especially its ideological campaigns of Hindutva utilising State power, damage the gains women have achieved over the years through their struggles and sacrifices. This article looks at a few of those aspects.

IN THE ECONOMY

AIMPLB’s Propositions are Unjust

Various women’s organisations and groups that have been working with Muslim women and fighting for their rights as equal citizens in all spheres of life, have strongly condemned the patriarchal, inhuman and unjust propositions put up by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to the Supreme Court in their affidavit concerning justification of triple talaq and polygamy. In a statement issued on September 3, they stated that the AIMPLB’s stand that ‘men have greater reasoning power compared to women’ smacks of a medieval mindset and prejudice against women.

Neo-liberal Reforms Accentuate Miseries of Women

In June this year, the union cabinet approved a special package for the textile and apparel sector claiming that ‘it has the potential for social transformation through women empowerment, since 70 percent of the workforce in the garment industry is women, majority of the new jobs created are likely to go to women’. This package was aimed at increasing exports by improving cost competitiveness and to overtake countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam. Several incentives were given to the employers to achieve cost competitiveness.

One Year of Modi:A Regressive Ideology Pushes Down Women

HOW are Indian women living under Modi rule? This is a government of promises and advertisements, owing allegiance to corporate capital. Indian women have no place in the new face of the country created by the government. Gender discrimination is one of the pillars on which the government stands. Indian democracy has been fighting patriarchy throughout, but the one year experience of Modi government saw the bitterest form of discrimination against women with a dangerous combination of neoliberalism and patriarchy.

Changing Policies and the Way Forward: A Discussion in AIDWA

USHERING in the new year with the recognition that for this to be a happy year for the mass of working and poor women and men, and indeed the entire country, strong popular resistance against the aggressively authoritarian pursuit of neo-liberal policies and bigoted communal polarisation by the NDA government has to be launched. If the first week is anything to go by, 2015 will bring even greater economic hardships and social discord for the people through anti-constitutional means. The slogan of ‘development and prosperity’ by the Modi government has proved to be a chimera.

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