Preparations are being made to try some medium term measures for the safety of women in Uttar Pradesh. In the modern world, such measures are being tried successfully in some countries like Afghanistan, Iran etc. Probably taking inspiration from their success, Uttar Pradesh Women’s Commission has also taken the initiative to try those measures. Don’t know what will happen next, but if the measures being discussed by the Uttar Pradesh Women’s Commission are implemented, then we will see a glimpse of the great India to be built in the future. However, it cannot be said how safe women will be due to this. Because the measures being suggested will ensure less security for women and will increase their social isolation more. If these measures are implemented then the presence of women in public space, which is already low, will further decrease. That is why it is necessary to discuss the measures suggested by the Uttar Pradesh Women’s Commission for the safety of the women of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Women’s Commission wants that male tailor masters in the state should not measure the clothes of women. This means that every tailor shop or boutique will have to have a female tailor master to measure women. Right now this proposal is only for measurement. It is possible that this proposal may also be considered in the future that no male tailor will be able to touch women’s clothes. Because that too can pose a threat to women’s safety. Everyone will have to install CCTV cameras in their shops so that it can be seen that no male tailor is touching any woman’s dress. Similarly, Uttar Pradesh Women’s Commission has a proposal that male trainers will not teach women in gyms and yoga classes. This means that there will have to be a female trainer in the gym for women and the yoga guru will also be a woman. Don’t know whether this rule will apply to those teaching yoga on television etc. or not. If it is further proposed that even at home, women will not practice yoga after watching male yoga teachers on television, then it may create problems for those teaching yoga like Ramdev and Balkrishna. And anyway, Ramdev does not even wear the clothes which are meant to protect the lower half of the body.
However, the Uttar Pradesh Women’s Commission is of the view that men should not cut women’s hair in salons and beauty parlors. That means only female hair dressers cut women’s hair. This will not only ensure the safety of women but it will also teach a lesson to those people like Javed Habib who become big designer hair stylists. Similarly, the Women’s Commission wants that men should not be made to do the work of showing or making women like the goods at the shops of clothes, cosmetics, jewelery etc. There too, it is the women who show the clothes etc. to the women and make them like them. The Women’s Commission is considering appointing women security personnel in the buses.
Now it will be interesting to see whether further suggestions come from the Uttar Pradesh Women’s Commission or the Women’s Commission of any other state under its supervision or not. Further one might recommend that men and women should not be able to travel on a bus, a train or an aeroplane. Women and men will not be able to study together in the same school or college. Women will be taught in separate classes and male students will have separate classes. The bus in which women will travel will be driven by women only and men will not be allowed to travel in it. No male waiter will serve women in the restaurant. If possible, there should be a ban on eating food while sitting at the same table with men and women or at least the Aadhar card should be checked and only men and women from one family should be allowed to sit together. There may be more such recommendations.
In fact, recently in Uttar Pradesh, a gym trainer had murdered a woman. Only after that the Women’s Commission considered measures for the safety of women and in the meeting on 28th October, the collective opinion of all the members was that if male trainers do not teach women in the gym then women will be safe. If we think about the originality of this idea and the foresight of the members, we will be surprised and happy that ‘God has once again chosen the land of India’ to produce such great people. At the same time, it would be sad to think why these suggestions are still being considered and why they have not been implemented!
However, from many places, including Uttar Pradesh, there are reports that the teacher raped or murdered the student. But I don’t know why the Women’s Commission has not yet proposed that only female teachers will teach girls and male students will have separate classes? Similarly, if there are reports of doctors or health workers raping female patients, then according to the UP Women Commission, the logical thing would be to make it mandatory in hospitals that only female doctors will treat female patients. Similarly, civil defense male employee Sanjay Roy has been accused of rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. So, there should be an immediate proposal that male employees will not be kept anywhere in Civil Defence. On behalf of Uttar Pradesh Women Commission, it can be said that such measures will not only make women safe but will also increase employment opportunities for women.
Think about these measures and the plight of the country! Sunita Williams, a woman of Indian origin in America, has been stuck in space for months. They are unlikely to return for the next three months and here in India’s largest state, the Women’s Commission is suggesting that men should not measure women’s clothes! On one hand, in India itself, women are flying trains and ships, while on the other hand, it is being said that male trainers should not teach women in gym and yoga classes. On one hand, there is talk of giving commission to women military officers and handing over leadership to them on the border, while on the other hand it is being said that women’s hair should not be cut by male hairdressers. Those who are supporting such a proposal for religious and social reasons should think that now is the time to correct the injustice that has been done to half of the country’s population historically. It is time for them to open doors of every opportunity. If women are not safe in a tailor shop or in a gym or in a salon then it is the failure of the governments. Governments should strengthen security arrangements and make arrangements to punish those accused involved in crimes against women as soon as possible. Instead, any proposal to restrict women and limit their opportunities should be rejected outright.