Empowerment of women

NOW that the new government is in place and the empowerment of women is very much on its agenda, I wish to point out that the necessary amendment of the law is needed to remove the prevailing social anomaly and to usher in the correct “gender equality”.

At present a Hindu woman, even after marriage, has no right in the ancestral property of her father-in-law but continues her legal right in the ancestral property of her father. This suits those “fathers” who have only daughter(s) but not those who have both daughter(s) and son(s). Worse, it has not only destroyed the traditional brother-sister affectionate relationship but also given rise to bitter litigations often prompted by the husband and in-laws.

Although dowry is considered a great social evil and there is so much of all-round social movement against it, the existing law thus provides for the worst form of legalised forced dowry without empowering the woman with property rights equal to her husband. The proper legal provisions would be to allow a woman the right equal to the brother in the property of the father before and only upto the marriage. She should get the right equal to the husband in the ancestral property of the father-in-law existing at the time of the marriage. Afterwards, both husband and wife can jointly and/or separately acquire and/or sell and/or bequeth their respective properties. However, in the event of a divorce, the whole position needs to be adjudicated.

R.R. SHARMA
Prof & Head (retd), Biophysics Deptt, PGI
Panchkula

Not in good taste

Every right-thinking Indian will agree with you when you say that opposing Pope’s visit or asking him to apologise is “Not in good taste” (The Tribune, Oct 20). Whom are we blaming, anyway? The Christians whose acts we resent are our own “flesh and blood”, as Gandhiji said. They are Hindus who embraced Islam or Christianity mostly for reasons which are not relevant today. Let us remember that we are all Indians and inherit the same “samsakaras”.

At the same time, the Christians and above all the Pope himself, should take a Christian stand on the issue. What would have Jesus Christ done, given the same situation?” “Offered the other cheek”, and forgiven them “for they know not what they do.” The statement made by the Archbishop of Delhi as quoted in your editorial goes against what you describe as “the Indian mainstream which draws its strength from giving equal respect to all religions.”

How do you propose dealing with the communities that do not consider all religions equal and yet demand equal, if not a better status under our Constitution? And what is the Prime Minister supposed to say? Anyone who gives a serious thought to these questions will realise that the Prime Minister will best be silent on the issue.

“If I say ‘yes’, it will lead to one set of wrong beliefs; and if I say ‘no’, it will lead to another set of wrong beliefs.” said Buddha.

Here is a lesson for the Prime Minister, for the Pope, and for the media.

L.R. SHARMA
Solan

Need for transfer policy

The abrupt transfer of Mr K.S. Narang, Deputy Commissioner, Una, compels public notice.

Mr Narang had joined here just eight months ago and seemed doing excellently well, speaking from the public point of view.

As a social worker, I got ample opportunity to interact with Mr Narang and watch his style of functioning from close quarters. Well, he struck me as a delightfully upright and fair-minded officer who seldom minced words. The absolutely peaceful electoral exercise in the district accomplished just recently speaks volumes for Mr Narang’s professional competence. His transfer, under the circumstances, comes as a painful surprise.

Conceded that periodic transfers and postings constitute an integral part of a bureaucrat’s career. But then who can deny that, to be fruitful, the exercise must be carried out under some well laid-out transparent policy on the subject. There should be no room for arbitrariness in the matter, failing which the exercise is bound to have a painfully deleterious effect on the administration in general.

I, for one, smell a rat in the case under question.

TARA CHAND
Ambota (Una)