Confused about reservation
By SViswan
@SViswan (12051)
India
March 27, 2010 10:27pm CST
Let me first put this across that I am not against women empowerment or helping the downtrodden get ahead in life. But the recent bill which states that 33 per cent of seats will be reserved for women in legislatures has really confused me. I don't see the point of reserving the seats for women. What will electing more women in parliament and state legislatures amount to? Are we really elevating the role of women? In India atleast, I find that most of these women are puppets and the strings are being pulled by unscrupulous husbands behind them. The women who really have the ability to do something do not even reach where they should or they aren't interested.
All reservations are at the cost of merit and I feel we shouldn't sacrifice merit to run the country.
What do you think? Am I wrong in thinking that there is no point in reserving seats for women (or any other race for that matter)?Are there other ways to elevate people left behind in the race than putting them ahead of people who are faster runners?
7 responses
@kar295rocks (2116)
• India
28 Mar 10
Yes sir, you are very right - women are being forced into politics by their unscrupulous husbands who need money and power and these women act as mere puppets!! But, there is an antagonistic pair - Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh - although they are not husband and wife, the man is a puppet for the woman!!!!
The government will bring in reservations for all and finally there will be no reservations for perfect human beings! All we can expect is animals sitting in the parliament! But, I feel one third of the seats is too much for women! I agree with your point! Democracy means anyone can come to the government with the votes of the people- but we find ourselves ruining the basic spirit of it!!! The backward people are not at all left behind- but now they are taking advantage over the situation!!
1 person likes this
@SViswan (12051)
• India
28 Mar 10
First of all, I am a woman..lol. And I loved the image of Sonia Gandhi pulling the strings of Manmohan Singh. Everywhere I find so much reservations that I find that people with merit are not to be found..or they find it hard to get in..and even when they manage to get in, they are outnumbered...and can hardly do what they are meant to do!
@kar295rocks (2116)
• India
28 Mar 10
Woops, sorry - I misjudged you by the name! I thought it was the short form of the name Viswanathan!
@JJ4Ever (4693)
• United States
9 Apr 10
I don't think a certain number of seats need to be reserved for women. They need to work just as hard as men to achieve their position. If they didn't work to get one of the seats, why should it just be handed to them when the men have to work for their positions? I think this is very strange. They should leave the number of seats up to the system and not reserve a certain number for women. It's not to say women aren't good business people, but I think they should have the same opportunity as men.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169479)
• United States
28 Mar 10
I understand your concern and confusion. There are many who believe that affirmative action measures are necessary to make up for wrongs in the past. It is much better to elect those who are best qualified and equipped to carry on the business of government. Quotas are not fair to the people who get the seat or to people who are excluded.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
28 Mar 10
Exactly! These people are running the country! Isn't it better to elect someone based on merit instead of the fact that they belong to a particular community (mostly backward) or gender? I do not see the point. No wonder our our country cannot utilize it's full potential!
@kalav56 (11464)
• India
28 Mar 10
I absolutely agree with your statements and it is sad that these women would either be puppets in the hands of their unscrupulous husbands or in the case of spinsters they would be exploited by siblings.Merit must always be the deciding factor Sandhya in anything but unfortunately our politicians would ever allow this.THey work purely on selfintere
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@sahilpadhiyar20 (532)
• India
28 Mar 10
Hello Sviswan 
..!!I think You're Right Indeed.The Women in India in the Olden Times doesn't gets much value.I know this because I am an Indian Too
.Believes that Women should get more Oppurtunity to show their talent But not because of their Gender but should based on merit,Lets be Fair and everyone gets their Rights and Oppurtunity.So Far India has changed a lot as many ladies becoming and emerging as Face of India and getting lot of Oppurtunity.The women should not given chances because they are Female but should be given chances for their inner Talents.So Reservation for them I Think its not Fair and Deserving.If Pure Talent doesn't gets Oppurtunity Then it's Just a Waste of Talent!
..!!I think You're Right Indeed.The Women in India in the Olden Times doesn't gets much value.I know this because I am an Indian Too.Believes that Women should get more Oppurtunity to show their talent But not because of their Gender but should based on merit,Lets be Fair and everyone gets their Rights and Oppurtunity.So Far India has changed a lot as many ladies becoming and emerging as Face of India and getting lot of Oppurtunity.The women should not given chances because they are Female but should be given chances for their inner Talents.So Reservation for them I Think its not Fair and Deserving.If Pure Talent doesn't gets Oppurtunity Then it's Just a Waste of Talent!
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
28 Mar 10
I think that you are right on track about the puppets pulling the strings. Most of the women here, too, who get social and/or politically advancement got there by walking in the footprints of some man, usually a husband. I quite agree with you that the reservations are at the cost of merit. The only thing worse than having NO women in government is having women without merit as they will drag the rest of us down.
The way to elevate people is to make educational opportunities available to them and ensure that there is no discrimination. Reservations, or affirmative action as we call it here in the states, just moves the discrimination from one group to another. In all cases, the fastest runners should win the race.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
28 Mar 10
Yes, you are so right. And I'm worried about how this is affecting the country. First we had reserved seats in education for the backward classes..which went to the extent of most seats being reserved for them (and their mark cutoff was also less than that of the general class). This resulted in more students who were capable being left behind and thus,most of them moved out of the country. The students who were really affected were the ones who were really smart but had no money. They found students who were way below them in their scores getting through to colleges and they didn't have enough money to study abroad. It just seems to be going in a cycle.
There are a few women legislators who are doing a good job but they didn't get there through reservation and I think that's the need ...'people' who are capable of doing their work and not 'more women or more people from a particular caste or group'. Yes, making educational opportunities available to them at a lowered cost...or scholarship opportunities.
