Israel’s unending war against Palestine – with due support from the Western World – is widely known.
Less known is the fact that representatives of extreme patriarchal Judaism have unleashed a war of a different kind against women. (1)
With their growing ascent in social life their emphasis has been increasingly on segregation of women in public domain – prohibiting their participation in religious or other gatherings, discrimination with them in jobs and employment, including their being bundled to the back side of public transport buses. (2)
Much has already been written about situation of women in Muslim majority countries.
Right from they being denied right to education, one can cite numerous examples about the laws and customs which prohibit or restrict their participation in education, job or other professions or they being prohibited from mixed gatherings. (3)
India, which claims itself to be a tolerant country – which is celebrating 75 years of its ushering into Republic this year and which abolished discrimination on the basis of caste, gender , race etc with adoption of the Constitution – had a glimpse of what it means to be women in a set up dominated by extreme patriarchal notions.
At first glance the incident may appear unbelievable but it happened in an international conference of CA students held in Kolkata.
The programme was held under the auspices of ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) (icai.org), a statutory body established by an act of Parliament where this alleged humiliation of women took place.
Details of the sequence of events and the later developments have already appeared on social media – so one can as well have a look at the links or videos shared there to get a feel of the whole incident. (4)
As can be expected the students and other invitees gathered at the programme had a good proportion of women as well. Few of very bright women CAs were also present there who – as per the Organiser himself had carved out a niche for themselves in the profession.
Little did most of them – including the other male participants could have a premonition that – within flash of a seconds there would be total reshuffling of seats where women – who were sitting in the front rows – would be instructed to move to back benches.
What looked rather ironic that moments before the Chief Organiser of the programme was praising women CAs for their achievements and within few seconds he allegedly ‘ordered’ from the stage itself that they immediately shift to the back portion of the hall. (-do)
This reshuffling was done basically to satisfy the condition of the Chief Guest – a motivational speaker – one Swami from BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir who it appears to have very conservative, exclusivist understanding about women which disallows presence of ‘ polluting women’ in vicinity. The speaker had threatened that he will leave the meeting if his condition is not met and the organisers instead of ensuring women’s dignity present there bowed to his demand and instructed the women attendees including few members of the organising committee as well to move back.
On further probe one learns that it was not the first time that he had made similar unjust demand and put the organisers in an embarassing position but the organisers of that programme handled the programme far better than the ICAI fellows. In fact then “[h]e left an event without delivering a speech after seeing women in the front row. However, that incident was handled with more dignity, and the pride of the women present was not compromised” ( -do-)
A cursory glance at various news items or reports make it further clear that the sect allegedly practises gender segregation in their programmes as well.(5)
Question arises what prompted the Organisers of the programme which are part of a statutory body formed by an act of the parliament to invite such a person to their programme.
Was it because the ruling dispensation at the centre has a very cordial relations with the organisation ?
Should not the organisers had done a background check of the proposed chief guest and know further details about him. And even if they failed to do a background check but why they finally acquised to his demand which essentially meant insulting not only women present there but also expose the organisation which represent four lakh members for its double standards. One does not know whether the Ministry of Corporate Affairs takes interest in the case or not or issues a notice of clarification to the organisers.
Last but not the least, since the event has not been covered in the mainstream media – it is not clear whether any of the women participants to the programme or other male members left the whole programme in protest or not to show their disagreement and express their dissent.
If none left and all kept sitting listening rather sheepishly to Swamiji’s sermons about Vikasit Bharat then perhaps they also failed the occasion and it is time they reflect on their own docile behaviour before the authorities.
Hope the call from the podium itself allegedly announced by a committee member through his microphone. “No ladies, no girls, no girl volunteers should even stand during the session, please hurry up as he can come anytime” and sheepishly followed by everyone there is not forgotten easily.
Subhash Gatade is a left activist associated with New Socialist Initiative
Ref
1https://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org/israelwaronwomen/
2. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/19/israeli-women-fight-hardliners-for-right-to-appear-in-public ; https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ultraorthodox-rabbis-ban-women-from-going-to-university-in-case-they-get-dangerous-secular-knowledge-a7204171.html
3. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-taliban-women-girls-work-school-sharia-rules/;
4. https://www.taxscan.in/women-empowerment-without-women-icais-international-conference-allegedly-removes-women-from-front-row-on-guests-demand/413119/
5. https://www.themetrognome.in/columns/patrakar-types/swaminarayan-temple-authorities-always-treat-women-this-way
