Aba Angami
What has 33% Reservation for women to do with Customary laws? If women were to be given 33% Reservation in the law of inheritance, I as a woman, will oppose because it will disturb the age-old Customary laws in a patrilineal society which has implications in our overall tribal or Naga identity (Men keep on selling their ancestral landed properties which is damaging the social fabric of too many places but is another matter more seriously requiring further dialogues). But what I cannot understand is the stand taken by a very forward tribe and very forward village in opposing 33% reservation, tooth and nail, of Municipal and town elections which are just today's concepts.
Heard of our forefathers' contesting in elections? No way. Therefore, few questions arises in this issue: Why are men opposed to women leaders involving in the decision-making processes? Is it a case of a few power hungry leaders who wants to cling on to their positions and are using the flag of Customary laws to misguide their own tribesmen or fellow villagers? Or is it for real that Naga women are to be relegated to the under-dogs' position as in some Islamic countries even in this present Century? When will some men start opposing 25% fund reservation at the VDBs? Where are the thinking caps, particularly, of those tribes and villages who rationalizes on every other issue? Oppose 33% Reservation in ancestral Customary laws but there is no rationality in opposing 33% Reservation in elections. Do not mis-use or mis-interpret Customary laws in modern institutions.
The same can be equated with reservation made for a very backward tribe in the NPSC so as to let them come at par with other forward tribes, and maybe, when they are at par with others they themselves may not want that backward tag any more or even appropriate authorities can give guidelines on it? Why oppose? If not for selfish leaders to dominate, what can be the reasons? Do not equate 33% Reservation for women with Customary laws. They are two totally different aspects which even a child can differentiate. Let us think out of the box please.
