Several years ago, in our college, during the college election held for the College Students’ Union and the Class Representative (CR), one of the girls from our class decided to contest for the CR. A friend of mine started to campaign against her. His only reason to oppose her candidature was her gender. He started to influence his friends that we as a boy cannot be under a girl CR. He had no other concrete reason to go against her, save for the gender. I jumped in to correct him and to make him know that we cannot be such a narrow and chauvinist in this modern time, not at least by us educated lot.
Today’s cacophony in our state just reminds me of that episode. In the name of the culture and tradition, we men folk just don’t want to give up what we have always considered ours for generation i.e., decision making position. We just don’t want to be lead, directed, ordered or decided by our women. Unfortunately that is the culture and tradition we are talking about today.
Here are some of the excuses by us men to support our view.
The big and bold ‘371A’ which we often use as a bargaining tool when odds are against us and often forget when the tide turns in our favour. But can our respected elders and leaders tell us if we truly follow all our culture and tradition in letter- word by word. If so, than aren’t we suppose to be naked and headhunting still? Can we not progress with time and change for good, when and where the situation demand. Are laws made for men or men for laws that we cannot amend even for good cause?
Another reason given is the chance of a capable male candidate being deprived of his opportunity and preempted by incapable female candidate. Well, at least it’s one reason worth debating. But looking at our state and towns where both the town election and general election have been held since decades and where it has been all men domain, how far can we say our towns and state have developed. We even don’t have basics like roads and drainage. And can we also expect any honest person in our near future who would not think to fill his pocket first but to only work for the people? Is there any such true visionary leader whose seat will be substituted by women if given chance? I guess a big NO is a safe bet. Than where is the question of such capable male candidate in the first place. It’s just an illusion created to fool the common men and protect the male chauvinism.
Then there is this wonderful and sweet to hear sermon of our women being treated equally with men. That they get all the educations and freedom without partiality vis-à-vis male counterpart. And so they should be treated equally in election as well without any reservation. But may I remind you my classmate boy. This logic is also against the reservation and quota in any sense. If this logic applies universally than there shouldn’t be Schedule Tribe quota for us in the UPSC or any other central jobs, nor there backward tribe quota in the state. But thankfully that’s not how things work, not at least in the culture and tradition of rational thinking. Such quotas or reservations are to uplift the disadvantaged section of the society. Such positive discrimination is blessed by the constitution of India itself, which unfortunately happens to conflict our tradition and culture for some jingoistic reason. Equality is not always about treating everyone the same- it is about treating people in such a way that the outcome for each person can be the same.
With all due respect to our elders and leaders, is it wise to set certain terms and condition upon people and to impose them the same with iron fist just for selfish interest of some? Were the people first consulted before making decision? Or is autocracy and despotism our culture as well? May be the culture and tradition that is being talked about might just be an outdated one for the upcoming youth and the future generation.
Should the opinion of all-men made decision influenced by the patriarchal mindset be carried upon as our culture forever? Will our women ever get to say her opinion on anything? Or shall we just keep them busy in our kitchen considering them as lesser human- no wise for a decision making whatsoever. Are we men just so selfish to not let our women share her ideas and stand side by side with us. Can we say to a baby- we have fed you, cared special for you and loved you much, now don’t ask us to help you stand on your feet and walk like us someday. Let’s be gentlemen and not be frightened of women to be in par with us. Or if we think our culture and tradition should not be amended for anything whatsoever, than will the true headhunting naked Naga please stand.
Y C Joseph Konyak
joseph21291@gmail.com
