New Delhi: The nation`s eyes were riveted
on the tussle over the landmark women`s reservation bill
inside and outside Parliament on Women`s Day which was
celebrated amid calls for "equal rights and equal opportunity"
to the fair sex.
While in Rajya Sabha the bill providing for 33 per
cent reservation to women in Parliament and Assemblies was
moved by the government amid protests by some MPs, outside
groups opposing and supporting the measure slugged it out.
Leaders and supporters of All India Milli Council,
Jamat-e-Islami Hind, Jamat-e-Ulama, Muslim Political Council
and several other Muslim organisations took out a silent march
opposing the bill in its present form.
A large number of women marched towards Jantar Mantar
from Mandi House her to mark the centenary of International
Women`s Day. The march was organised by NGOs and organisations
including Action Aid, Delhi Forum, The Other Media and
Committee Against Violence on Women.
Protesters also converged at the Parliament Gate and
blocked traffic demanding immediate passage of the Bill.
Around 20 women activists were detained by Delhi Police.
As the country raised a toast to women empowerment,
Air India, which had 136 women pilots that includes
eight commanders, flew several international and domestic
flights with all-women crew, including the Mumbai-New York
non-stop long haul flight-- a first for the national carrier.
"On the International Women`s Day, it was a
matter of celebration for the change in mindset," Captain
Sunita Narula, who was given the command of the Boeing 777-200
long-range aircraft, said.
This year`s theme for International Women`s Day is
"Equal rights, equal opportunity: Progress for all".
In Haryana, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda
announced the institution of three state awards to honour
women in their fields of choice.
While the first award will carry a cash prize of Rs
one lakh and would be known as Indira Gandhi Mahila Shakti
Puraskar, the second award of Rs 51,000 would be known as
Kalpana Chawla Shaurya Puraskar, in memory of the Haryana-born
astronaut. The third award would be named after first
woman Speaker of Haryana Shanno Devi and would carry a cash
prize of Rs 51,000.
Several initiatives against domestic violence and
harassment of women were launched across the country,
including `Parivartan` under which cricket maestro Sachin
Tendulkar has joined hands with NGOs to use cricket as a
medium to teach boys to be respectful towards women which in
turn will help reduce violence against the fair sex.
According to International Center for Research on
Women (ICRW), which launced the project, one out of three
married women in India report being physically or
psychologically abused. Many women and girls are daily exposed
to several forms of violence, from routine eve-teasing and
sexual harassment in public to sometimes fatal physical
beatings at home.
A BSNL helpline for women facing domestic violence was
launched in Nagaland. Known as `1092 Helpline`, it is a
multi-agency response to women facing domestic violence in the
state.
Down south, the Avanashilingam University in
Coimbatore made a bid to make an entry into the Guinness Book
of World Records by painting and writing about women and their
achievements on a five-km long white canvas.
More than 10,000 women took part in the event which was
judged by three Guinness representatives.
Interestingly, Maoist posters calling for observing
International Women`s Day were found in tribal Purulia
district of West Bengal.
About 500 posters found on Kantadih and Mudali road in
Arsha area also asked people to shun child marriage and
protect women against harassment by men, police said.
However, in Meghalaya, Deputy Chief Minister B M
Lanong`s alleged description of women activists as "vipers"
angered women groups who boycotted the official International
Women`s Day function.
Protesting under the banner of Civil Society Women
Organisation (CSWO), the groups also organised a rally and a
signature campaign in front of the Additional Secretariat.
The women organisations carried banners and posters which
read, "Have the women of Meghalaya got all their rights?" and
"Women are no vipers in the society."
Lanong, however, said his comment was misinterpreted
and was not intended to "hurt the dignity of women".
-PTI
