Yesterday front page of most of the daily newspaper were adorned with one news only. No, it was not concerning Politics/elections/ Corruption/ malpractices/underworld.
It was a news item with the heading DIVORCE GRANTED TO OLD AGED COUPLE or similar heading
The subject matter of the news was that an old aged Parsi couple after 42 years of married life decided to end their married life by seeking the ultimate respite available to some of the married people from their hellish married life----DIVORCE.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read the age of the couple. Husband 78 years and wife 74 years!
The reason given by wife was the same old one- physical and mental torture by husband and his family.
In our society, for that matter in any society anywhere in the world domestic violence is very common. Be it a financially poor family or families belonging to the upper strata of the society, be it educated so called emancipated ,moving with the times couples or uneducated, illiterate couples. Physical and mental torture by husbands and in laws is very common.
I am in a dilemma whether I should applaud the courage shown by the wife of finally ending the farce called as marriage which she was tolerating since so many years or feel sorry for both of them for deserting the company of each other at this crucial stage of their life
Most of the women’s organizations will surely appreciate the bold step taken by the lady that too at this junction of life when company of life partners is as important as meeting daily needs. This is the age when loneliness, deteriorating health, physical weakness, low self esteem, disillusionment and disorientation with life become the closest friends of old people . The main comfort the people derive is from their friends or life partners..The biggest nightmare for such people is loneliness caused by the death of life partner.
And this lady decided to part ways not even giving a second thought to her future or the problems which she may face later. I feel like saying Hats off the lady. She had the guts to put an end to her traumatic married life and live an independent life away from the shadow of her over bearing husband.
But then I am again forced to think was this step right? If she had tolerated for so long why didn’t she show some more patience and tried to adjust a little more. Was her decision to leave her husband who is at the threshold of succumbing to death any moment right one?
After the divorce the couple will be staying next doors only in adjacent flats. Will they remain immune to each other’s needs and requirements? Will their heart not bleed when the other person is ill or incapable of fulfilling the daily chores?
I am confused whether to consider this drastic step taken by them as the dawn of a new era where women will not tolerate the inhumane behavior of their spouse, where women with no regards to their physical age or age of their married life will stand up to the ill treatment meted out to them and look for new horizons in their life OR is the sun setting for the institution of marriage where life partners were committed to each other for good or worse, where husband and wife together as one entity were ready to face any obstacles and be the supporting pillar of each other.. Is this the dawn of a new day where feeling of self or I will override the feeling of WE, where individual will become more important than the sacred vows taken at the time of marriage Or is dusk setting in for the concept of marriage?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
TO VOTE OR NOT?
With elections round the corner and election fever scaling new heights daily, most of the educated and enlightened people are confused , whether to vote or not? and If yes then whom to vote for? same is the case with me
If the candidate is good then the party to which he belongs doesn't come up to my expectations and if I like the party ( conditioned right from childhood to favour a particular one by parents) then the candidate from my area representing this party is ill reputed with shady background and history behind him.
So what should I do? vote for the party and forget about the candidate. Let me strengthen the hands of party and bring them to power. Anyways he is not going to do any thing for my area. He will not visit even once the people who will put him on high pedestal and indirectly help him realise his dreams of making money by corrupt means. Or select the candidate who seems promising ( at least now) who claims to have revolutionary plans for his constituency. But if I vote for him that means I am supporting the party who is notorious for its racist policies and attitude.
Come to think of it all our political parties and the candidates are good for nothing . every one is concerned about promoting their families, relatives and friends and adding to their already filled to brim pockets.
No one seems to know what is the actual job our Member of Parliament do or are supposed to do. At least I am not aware of it. and I was surprised to read in today's newspaper that majority of our voters are not aware of it. For that matter election Commissioner was also not very forthcoming regarding it. And even the ministries of Law and justice and Parliamentary affairs had a clue.
There is no fixed guidelines for duties and responsibilities of Member of Parliament any where. Even the election manifesto of political parties is mum about it.
In this scenario where the elders and seasoned voters are confused about the whole issue what guidelines and advice can they give to the over excited youngsters who are going to franchise their right of voting for the first time.
Today when I, myself is in a dilemma regarding voting, how can I encourage my son to go and exercise his fundamental right for the first time?
If the candidate is good then the party to which he belongs doesn't come up to my expectations and if I like the party ( conditioned right from childhood to favour a particular one by parents) then the candidate from my area representing this party is ill reputed with shady background and history behind him.
So what should I do? vote for the party and forget about the candidate. Let me strengthen the hands of party and bring them to power. Anyways he is not going to do any thing for my area. He will not visit even once the people who will put him on high pedestal and indirectly help him realise his dreams of making money by corrupt means. Or select the candidate who seems promising ( at least now) who claims to have revolutionary plans for his constituency. But if I vote for him that means I am supporting the party who is notorious for its racist policies and attitude.
Come to think of it all our political parties and the candidates are good for nothing . every one is concerned about promoting their families, relatives and friends and adding to their already filled to brim pockets.
No one seems to know what is the actual job our Member of Parliament do or are supposed to do. At least I am not aware of it. and I was surprised to read in today's newspaper that majority of our voters are not aware of it. For that matter election Commissioner was also not very forthcoming regarding it. And even the ministries of Law and justice and Parliamentary affairs had a clue.
There is no fixed guidelines for duties and responsibilities of Member of Parliament any where. Even the election manifesto of political parties is mum about it.
In this scenario where the elders and seasoned voters are confused about the whole issue what guidelines and advice can they give to the over excited youngsters who are going to franchise their right of voting for the first time.
Today when I, myself is in a dilemma regarding voting, how can I encourage my son to go and exercise his fundamental right for the first time?
Saturday, April 18, 2009
This is politics for you
last week Priya Dutt the candidate from my constituency was to visit our area for her election. .last moment she decided that this area belongs to educated, well to do people so there is no need for her to come here and convince us as we know what we want and will vote for the one whom we think is the right person. so she went to the near by slums to lure them and brain wash them with her false promises, her starry background.
this made me wonder
(1)whether she was not confident enough to change our views even if we had already decided about our vote?
(2) she thought that illiterate slum people are naive enough to select her on the basis of her father and brother?
(3) also during last five years i.e. during her tenure as the MP we never saw her face in our constituency even once. where was she?. I thought that as she is young blood, comparatively new in politics, moving with the times she will do something revolutionary for the people. but she also proved to be the part of the same old block. show ur face once in five years. distribute some titbits to illiterate naive people . get their vote and they bye bye till next term
and then we say JAI HO
if youngsters behave in this way then no comments for all those oldies who just dont want to move a inch from their position.
this made me wonder
(1)whether she was not confident enough to change our views even if we had already decided about our vote?
(2) she thought that illiterate slum people are naive enough to select her on the basis of her father and brother?
(3) also during last five years i.e. during her tenure as the MP we never saw her face in our constituency even once. where was she?. I thought that as she is young blood, comparatively new in politics, moving with the times she will do something revolutionary for the people. but she also proved to be the part of the same old block. show ur face once in five years. distribute some titbits to illiterate naive people . get their vote and they bye bye till next term
and then we say JAI HO
if youngsters behave in this way then no comments for all those oldies who just dont want to move a inch from their position.
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