A 12 - member panel under the chairmanship of former Justice VR Krishna Iyer had submitted the draft of the Women's Code Bill to the Chief Minister last Saturday. The draft, as appreciated by many, contains a number of good suggestions towards the welfare of women and children. And the bill touches upon the number of children per family - fixed at two and penalties to defaulters laid down as :-
(a) Bar the family from enjoying various government benefits.
(b) The breach to be considered as civil/criminal liabilty in the form of a fine of Rs. 10,000/- or even simple imprisonment, not exceeding three months.
There is stiff opposition, from expected quarters, to the penalties suggested. I fear that the politicians will give it a religious colouration and what shape the bill finally takes, is open to question. I'm reminded of the time the late Rajiv Gandhi had backed down on the 'Uniform Civil Code' issue when the famous Shah Bano case had come into the limelight.
I only hope that the panel's efforts don't go waste!
Tailpiece.
Our country has a problem of exploding population and concrete measures, without being swayed by sentiments, need to be appropriated without any delay. That's the need of the hour!! This draft is the first step in that direction.
2. Yet another tragedy.
Four children have died and one's in a critical stage when a school van, carrying 23 students, plunged into a river in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram due to the fault of the man behind the wheel - it has been ascertained that he was the cleaner, did not possess a driving license and was driving at a breakneck speed!
I've the following questions:-
(a) Is it only the driver who's to be blamed?
(b) What about the parents who fully well knew that the van was overloaded?
(c) What about the school authorities and the transport authorities who did not carry out their duties?
(d) And above all, what about the owner of the vehicle, who was using the vehicle like a milch cow?
If the questions that I'd posed above do not find remedial measures, in the form of effective deterrance, overcrowded vehicles will continue to ply putting the lives of unsuspecting children to grave risks. For god's sake, let's not pay mere lip service, shed crocodile tears and claim governmental compensation! Concrete and swift action is what's the need of the hour!!
2. Yet another tragedy.
Four children have died and one's in a critical stage when a school van, carrying 23 students, plunged into a river in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram due to the fault of the man behind the wheel - it has been ascertained that he was the cleaner, did not possess a driving license and was driving at a breakneck speed!
I've the following questions:-
(a) Is it only the driver who's to be blamed?
(b) What about the parents who fully well knew that the van was overloaded?
(c) What about the school authorities and the transport authorities who did not carry out their duties?
(d) And above all, what about the owner of the vehicle, who was using the vehicle like a milch cow?
If the questions that I'd posed above do not find remedial measures, in the form of effective deterrance, overcrowded vehicles will continue to ply putting the lives of unsuspecting children to grave risks. For god's sake, let's not pay mere lip service, shed crocodile tears and claim governmental compensation! Concrete and swift action is what's the need of the hour!!
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