Tough promise

Sir — Rahul Gandhi’s oath to remain a bachelor cannot be compared with that of Bhisma or with Gandhi’s attempt to practise celibacy after marriage (“Bachelor vows”, March 10). Rahul has, so far, not made any significant contribution to the growth of India. But it is also true that he has got ample time to prove his worth. Rahul seems to be a gentleman. There can be many reasons behind an individual’s resolve to remain a bachelor. As Francis Bacon had said, having a family can deter a man from undertaking great enterprises. And P.B. Shelley saw marriage as a system “hostile to human happiness”. All brahmacharis were not great men and most of the people who played major roles in shaping the histories of nations were married. As Samuel Johnson observed, “marriage has many pains, but celibacy has no pleasure”.

Yours faithfully,
Nipam Kumar Saikia, Biswanath Chariali, Assam

Sir — The editorial, “Bachelor vows”, did not mention a famous bachelor: the bal brahmachari, Hanuman. Notwithstanding whether Rahul Gandhi spoke in haste or in jest, it is undoubtedly true that if he sticks to his words and serves the nation like Hanuman served Ram, India would be cured of its various woes.

The ‘bachelor boy’ may himself not marry, but what would he do with his party, which is perennially in love with — and controlled by — progenies of those in power? Besides, he may come under familial pressure to anoint the children of his sister as his successors. The editorial rightly says that Rahul “is the country’s most eligible bachelor.” But if the issue of bachelorhood bothers him, it may further distract an already inexperienced man thrown into the cauldron of Indian politics. Yours faithfully,
Sunil Garodia, Calcutta

What a shame

Sir — International Women’s Day is celebrated every year across the world. Even after 65 years of Independence, India, as a nation, has miserably failed to uphold the spirit of justice, liberty and equality. It has failed to free and empower its women. The regressive khap panchayats have added to the atrocities against women.

There are layers of hypocrisy in our society. On the one hand, people condemn the death of girl children and say, “ladki to ghar ki lakshmi hai”. On the other hand, female foeticide is a grave social malady. There is much cleansing to be done. Gender discrimination is well-entrenched in our social psyche. It is encouraging that many schools now teach girl students self-defence techniques. Women must be trained to fight chauvinism and injustice.

The United States of America has posthumously honoured the victim of the Delhi gangrape with the Woman of Courage award on March 8 this year in order to inspire people to resist violence against women. While this is undoubtedly a positive step by the US, one cannot imagine a bigger shame for India. Nirbhaya has come to symbolize the way this country treats its women — the violence they face on the streets and at home everyday. The new bill on crimes against women has still not been made into law. This is disgraceful, especially for our women politicians. We will earn the right to celebrate Women’s Day only if we can ensure true justice for the victims of sexual violence in our society.

Yours faithfully,
Chandan K. Bhattacharjee, Calcutta

Sir — Women’s Day carries special significance for Indians this year because of the Delhi gangrape and a slew of other incidents of rape across the country that followed it. It is a matter of great shame that while India has progressed in many fields, the country has failed to give its women safety and respect. An Indian woman is exploited and discriminated against not only on the streets but also at home. Female foeticide and infanticide, domestic violence and marital rape are only a few examples of the various crimes committed against women. The most heinous of crimes take place when a close relative or a friend sexually exploits a woman. In many cases, the victim is unable to seek justice because of social and familial constraints.

Instead of celebrating Women’s Day by exchanging wishes, we must take an oath to make our country a safe place for women. Real empowerment of women cannot be achieved without the participation of all.

Yours faithfully,
Amlandeep Bhattacharya, Calcutta