The PM in “a bold change from the past kind of move” announced women can retain their “OWN” names on their Passport.
Its a BOLD move – as the deeply entrenched patriarchal systems in India automatically assume that post marriage the woman becomes the property of the husband – hence needs to be “stamped” as such…
This move gives a woman her the right to “retain her old (own) identity”.
A FREEDOM introduced……..indeed………..
BUT….
BUT – these shall be many many hurdles to cross before this move is able to actually reach the Common Woman of India…
The Common Woman of India will ONLY benefit if:
- Large scale awareness camps are held all across all schools, colleges, homes, villages and towns – informing the PEOPLE of India – what this NEW “right” means. This is important – so that the in-laws and parents of the girls do NOT freak out, if the girl asks for her “rights”
- Large scale interventions at ALL thaanas – where passports go for verifications
- Large scale interventions at ALL passport offices – for not just the pvt outsourced staff but ALL govt staff (its the Govt staff which behave in a painful manner – I have witnessed that myself, very recently)
- Large scale legal camps for LAWYERs – and before you wonder what and why etc…. YES even Lawyers need to be educated :)…. Have been meeting many many such people who do not know WHAT the “new right” means ….
It is ONLY after these interventions can this NEW MOVE – be actually effective….
So Dear Govt,
Which even I helped elect 🙂 – please pay attention to these 4 issues…
After THAT – shall I start celebrating!
The THOUGHT is good…
NOW I await the implementation!