International Women’s Day

Day before yesterday was international women’s day. There were lots of discussions and bemoaning that women in India were not getting their rightful place or the violence against women both at home and in public places is not abating. The news channels showed many instances of sexual violence against women, even policemen slapping women in Rajasthan. I was thinking of Irome Sharmila of Manipur who for last ten years or more is being forced fed. She is on hunger strike because women in Manipur have been facing relentless sexual violence. I did not read or hear in TV of anybody talking about the relentless struggle of Irome Sharmila against sexual violence against women. Garda Lerner in her famous book on Patriarchy said that we women do not have our icons and our history. If we ignore such brave and committed women and do not express our respect and support for their struggle how can icons of women’s struggle get social legitimacy? It is high time that at least on such symbolic days we express our support for women like Irome Sharmila. We should not forget that women’s suffrage movement in England got social support and legitimacy after radical women decided to go on hunger strike when they were ill treated in prison. The state decided to force-feed them. The ensuing cruelties and women’s sufferings alarmed the civil society. The pressure thus generated forced the state to view their demands positively. No doubt the striking women paid heavy price in terms of their health and mental balance. We do not know about Sharmila’health. On this international women’s day, at least we could demand her release and an assurance from the state about conceding her demand , which is very much within the limits prescribed in our Constitution,