hidden image

A Real Women's Day Gift!

Robert Clements Robert Clements
10 Mar 2025

Many papers headlined PM Modi's latest announcement of handing over his social media accounts to women on Women's Day, March 8.

Sounds like a grand gesture, doesn't it?

A modern-day digital chariot ride for women achievers paraded before millions of followers. But before we break into applause, let's pause and ask: is this a step forward or just another well-packaged PR stunt?

Now, don't get me wrong. Seeing women achievers take centre stage is heartwarming. Their stories of grit, resilience, and success will no doubt inspire many. But let's face it—what happens when the clock strikes midnight on March 8? Does Cinderella's social media carriage turn back into a pumpkin of everyday struggles?

Real change for women in India needs more than just a symbolic X/Twitter parade.

We need legislative action, cultural shifts, and policy overhauls that outlast the trending topics of the day.

Let's start with one of the most glaring issues—marital rape. India remains one of the few countries where a husband forcing himself on his wife is not explicitly criminalised. Apparently, some still believe that a marriage certificate comes with a lifetime subscription to non-consensual intimacy. A nation that takes such pride in its legal framework cannot afford to ignore this fundamental violation of human rights.

Then there's safety—or the lack of it. From bustling city streets to quiet village roads, from workplaces to public transport, from boardrooms to social media comment sections—women face harassment and violence at every turn. We have helpline numbers and pink police patrols, but what we really need is a justice system that delivers quick, effective, and fear-inducing consequences for perpetrators.

After all, a well-lit street is reassuring, but a legal system that terrifies offenders is far better.

Now, let's talk money. Equal pay remains an elusive dream in India. Women often earn significantly less than men for the same work, as if their qualifications and efforts come with a discount tag.

Oh yes, a Women's Day retweet is nice, but a paycheck that matches their male counterparts? Now, that's a real tribute.

And let's not forget representation. Women continue to be underrepresented in politics, corporate leadership, and decision-making positions. They're not asking for special treatment—just a fair shot at sitting at the table without having to fight for the last available chair.

So, while the Women's Day social media takeover might give us a warm, fuzzy feeling, let's not get too carried away. The real celebration will be when women in India don't need a designated day to have their voices heard, their rights respected, and their achievements acknowledged.

As they say, actions speak louder than words—or, in this case, louder than tweets. So, Mr. Prime Minister, while the country appreciates the gesture, how about some solid policies, airtight laws, and actual systemic change?

Now that would truly be worth showing the world, especially a male chauvinist like Trump..!

Recent Posts

Close at the heel of our other neighbours, Nepal's journey has swung between hope and betrayal. The monarchy fell, the republic faltered, and now its youth demand dignity, justice, and a future free f
apicture A. J. Philip
15 Sep 2025
The recent Vice-Presidential election has exposed deep cracks in India's democracy. Cross-voting, intimidation, abstentions, and invalid ballots have raised serious doubts. It ultimately begs the ques
apicture M L Satyan
15 Sep 2025
September 11 carries memories of violence and division, but also of Gandhi's Satyagraha and Vivekananda's call to end fanaticism. In a world scarred by war, injustice, and hate, 9/11 must challenge us
apicture Cedric Prakash
15 Sep 2025
India may soon become the world's third-largest economy, but its low per capita income, unmitigated inequality, weak healthcare, and fragile education system reveal a different truth. GDP milestones a
apicture Jacob Peenikaparambil
15 Sep 2025
Modi's long-delayed visit to Manipur are mere optics. After two years of silence amid ethnic cleansing, displacement, and inhumanity by the Meiteis, what peace, protection of minorities, and restorati
apicture Dr Manoj Kumar Mishra
15 Sep 2025
Umar Khalid, the Jawaharlal Nehru University scholar who has spent more than five years in jail, on Thursday, September 11, told a Delhi court that the larger Conspiracy case in connection with the 20
apicture Joseph Maliakan
15 Sep 2025
Looking back at the 100 years of Medical Mission Sisters, there was a pioneering spirit to begin health care facilities for the less privileged, openness to look at themselves critically to make their
apicture Sr. Mary Pullattu, MMS
15 Sep 2025
Though declared a secular republic in 2008, the nation's legal and cultural frameworks remain steeped in Hindu-majority sentiment. Nepal's National Penal Code of 2017 criminalises religious conversion
apicture CM Paul
15 Sep 2025
To be a "Carmelite on the street" is to unite deep prayer with public courage. We must build interior castles yet opening their gates, carrying contemplation into classrooms, farms, protests, and parl
apicture Gisel Erumachadathu, ASI
15 Sep 2025
In today's India, more than flyovers or metros, what we desperately need are bridges. Bridges between communities. Bridges between faiths. Bridges strong enough to carry us into the future without col
apicture Robert Clements
15 Sep 2025