I am having a number of points. Had you given me half-an-hour to speak, I would have taken care of every aspect. What happens is that we have been discussing the same issues again and again. So, I have not gone into those cases where atrocities on women are increasing. I humbly feel and insist that all such atrocities should be stopped forthwith. Whatever amendments in the Acts are required for doing so, those amendments should be made. But I know that by amending the law, we will not be able to give a peaceful life to the womenfolk. Let us discuss all these problems and take corrective steps by having an open mind. There is no use of just making allegations against each other. After all, we all are members of the same society. We all should enjoy equal rights.
As far as the Women's Reservation Bill is concerned, last year, I rose and opposed that Constitution Amendment Bill only because that was to be passed without having deliberations. I said that without deliberating upon the amendments, no Bill should be passed. After that, all these developments have taken place. At that time also, I had suggested that by making 33 per cent compulsory reservation, the total performance will be nil. So, it is necessary that all the parties should give 33 per cent of their tickets to women and those who are not going to comply with that provision, the recognition of that party should be taken away.
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(Interruptions)*
MR. SPEAKER: The Speech of Shri N.T. Shanmugham will only go on record.
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* Not Recorded
Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi who hailed from Ettayapuram dedicated himself to the freedom struggle and spread the spirit of freedom and patriotism through his simple poems. He composed poems on women's emancipation too. He condemned the atrocities committed against women. He made himself a fortness to safeguard the rights of women. He exhorted "we would burn the idiocy of subjugating and humiliating women."
Likewise the people's epic `Silappadhikaram' authored by Ilango Adigal glorified the dignity of women. He portrayed Kannagi as an embodiment of modesty and chastity. She established the truth to disprove the charge against her husband. Shr broke to pieces her bracelet to show that her husband was not a thief. Shr sought for justice in the court of the Ppandya King. It is still a history that she even caused the destruction of that kingdom.
We call our country `Bharat Matha'. We feel proud to call our land as `motherland'. We linked our country to a lady, to that of a mother. We see mother in nature. All the rivers like Ganga, Godavari, Cauvery are seen as women and mothers. We clelbrate mother Cauvery as she flows in to give life to many.
It really pains our herat to note several atrocities against the women of this country which is known for glorigying women both in the form of Goddesses and mothers. We are born to mothers and nursed by them to grow as men. That is why we compare mother, father and teacher to God. We have given first place towomen in that order.
But what is happening today? The moment it is confirmed that the child in the owmb is a girl child, attempts are made to abort its further growth before being born as a baby. In case the girl child is allowed to be bron it is done away with, projecting it to be a postnatal death. Such killings are covered up as stillborn.
In Tamil Nadu, Dr Puratchi Thalaivi brought forth `cradle baby scheme' with the noble aim of saving the unwanted girl child. Several lives have been saved through this scheme.
The country is witnessing several hardships to women and cruelties inflicted against them. Dowry evil is one such. Dowry deaths are rampant here. Kerosene is pured on them and they are burnt to death when women do not bring the demanded dowary. They cover it up as deaths due to stove-explosions. But the irony is that only women become victims to this tove-fires. Husband and in-lawas either burn the brides or force them to suicides. It has become a continuing sad tale. Women do not have safety and security. They are treated as mere commodities.
It happened is Chennai two weeks back that a lady living alone separated from her husband was subjected to sexual violence when seven men gangraped her.
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* Original in Tamil
Likewise, on 17th of this month a college student from Ethiraj College, Chennai became a victim of barbarious eve-teasing. The firl Sarika while coming out of her collece was waylaid by miscreants in borad daylight. She was chased by goons in an auto-rickshaw. They drowsed her using water pistiols. She was so violently pulled and pushed that she suffered grievous head injuries to which she succumbed later on. She died pathetically in the hospital as a victim of eve-teasing.
SHRI T.R. BALLU (MADRAS SOUTH) : Mr Speaker Sir, it is unwarranted. It is a State Government subject. The p[osition is that nine persons have ben arrested and the case is going on against them....(Interruptions)
SHRI N.T. SHANMUGAM : You should not interrupt me like this. I am only referring to that incident.....(Interruptions)
MR SPEAKER : Please do not distrub.
SHRI N.T. SHANMUGAM : I would like to say that women in Tamil Nadu do not have safety and security today. At least for eight days it remained as an accident-case filed on petty charges. Only after the death of the firl Sarika, it was altered to be a criminal murder case. After all these things those nine goondas have been arrested. This is what is happening in Tamil Nadu. This shameless act is reported to have been committed by the volunteers of Youth Congress. Thgis is condemnable and despicable an act. In several parts of India and also in Tamil Nadu we find cases of custodial sexual violence against women. There is no safety to the chastity of women even in police stations. We also read in papers that higher authorities in Government offices sexually exploit and sexually assault women employees. There is no safety to the chastity of women employees.
What we read in a newspaper dated 27.7.98 is quite alarming. A girl was chased by goondas during a midnight and was saved by a good samaritan and had to seek refuge in a safety home. That orphaned girl's narration of her woes is sympathetic. Her uncle aranged to marry her off to an elderly person. Hence she took the course of fleeing from her foster-home.
So women in India are not free even after 50 years of our independence. Le me recall what Mahatma Gandhiji said once. "Only when we could find a lady walks home safety at dusk with all her jewels on, we may accept that we have attained freedom", that is was Gandhiji said. I do not know as to when we would be able to see that dream a reality.
Hence I urge upon the Government to legislate suitable laws with stringent punishment to curb atrocities on women. With this, I conclude.