Lofty ideals were spewed from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the 75th year of India's Independence by Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the empowerment and support of women with claims that without ‘Nari Shakti’ it is difficult for the nation to become a developed nation. And what happens in his home State of Gujarat is that Bilkis Bano's rapists sentenced to life are all released by an order of the government. Again in one of Goa's villages, a 5-month-old baby girl is hammered to death by the parents because she is the 2nd daughter to be born in the family. These 2 incidents highlight the fact that nothing has changed in the perception of women in Indian society. They continue to be treated with utter disdain. The above incidents bring home the fact that it is not just corruption and nepotism arising out of privilege that are to be erased from Indian society but first and foremost we have to accord the proper place to women amongst us which is of respect to their dignity and ability.
