Charismatic inspirer, Azad Hind Fauj, Indian National Army Chief, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, 128. Parakram diwas. Disappeared in 1945. Founded, broadcasted on Azad Hind Radio. Netaji led one critical stream of Indian freedom struggle. All streams collectively led to India’s liberation. Not sure what all did the trick. Netaji remains a legendary inspiration to young women-men even today.
BJP Manifesto, Sankalp Patra for Delhi promises: Rs.10 lakh life insurance and Rs.5 lakh accident insurance for gig workers; Yamuna riverfront; 50,000 jobs; 20 lakh self-employment opportunities; Mahabharat corridor; ownership rights in unauthorised colonies; free treatment to senior citizens; unsealing 13,000 sealed shops; 13,000 e-buses. These are in addition to: Rs.2,500 per month to each poor woman; Rs.21,000 each for pregnant women; Rs.500 LPG subsidy; free education KG to PG in government schools; Rs.15,000 for preparing for Service Commission exams. AAP and Congress manifestos are not very different.
Jagan’s key associate/aide, chartered accountant V Vijayasai Reddy, currently MP, YSRCP National General Secretary, has retired from politics, with 4 years of term still to be completed, to get into ‘agriculture’. It appears there is something more to it than what is being told.
Girl Child. There are less women in India vis-à-vis men. 48.4% are females in India. However, NFHS says we have 1020 females per 1000 males. A contradiction. Hope this gets corrected soon. We all believe this may not be true. Women are biologically, emotionally strong, nurturers. Studies confirm: Women have better learning abilities, non-cognitive skills; women are more empathetic, more intuitive; women are more competent coders; women multi-task more efficiently; women live longer, because xx, vis-à-vis men having xy.
Even then, today women score low on literacy, political participation. Still a good number of women marry before 18. Violence is high. Still, more time of women is going towards unpaid work. All this after the Constitution of India guaranteeing to all Indian women equality; no discrimination by the State; equality of opportunity; equal pay for equal work; special provisions to be made in favour of women and children; renouncing practices derogatory to the dignity of women; and provisions to be made for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief. 75 years have elapsed since then. There is the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. Effective implementation may be an issue still. Triple talaq is unconstitutional now since 2017. Sex outside marriage is no longer a crime. 50% reservation for women in local governments. 33% reservation in legislatures is still on its way. About 25% of the workforce is women in urban areas. It becomes more than 60% in rural areas. In dairy it goes beyond 90%. More than 50% in forest-based livelihoods. Gender gap in wages in practice exists. We still hear about female infanticides and sex selective abortions. Property ownership is largely with men still. Sanitation, toilets for women are still very less than required. However, we remain patrilineal; patriarchy is still around. Agency of women is still not fully expressed in various aspects.
Can we do something? Can we take agency, can we facilitate agency into the hands of women, to lead-nurture us towards our PVMs, their collectives, their teams and support teams? Everywhere.
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. Being with and in krsna. In N? Plaavanayoga for 7L.
Click here for a compilation of Yogakshemam updates.