Why discriminate against girls?

By Abhishek Pandey

Council of Degree College principles have decided to ban mobile phones for all students and wearing jeans for girl students in the colleges in Kanpur. The latter decision taken by principles have created furor among the girl students and women organization. In the wake of unconstitutional decisions taken by the university professors, Uttar Pradesh government has warned universities and colleges to stay away from theses kinds of unconstitutional norms in the colleges.

Earlier, the similar decision taken by the Principle of Dayanand Girls Degree College was criticized by the feminist groups. The principal of the college said in an interview, which was published in the newspaper, that the body hugging jeans invite sexually coloured remarks to girl students and it might tempt eve teasers. The reason of ban given by the principal was not justifiable. It is like that ‘Don’t earn money because it might invite thieves to rob you.’ The victims of eve teasing were given punishment rather to put a stop on eve teasing and other molestation cases in the city, which happen with the girls without any discrimination on the ground of attires. The council wants to clad girl students in ‘modest’ dresses like salwar suits to protect girls from the uncontrollable activities of bad elements.

Most of the women organizations are of the view that it is total infringement of women’s fundamental rights which are enshrined in the constitution of India. Article 15 of the constitution prohibits any one to discriminate any citizen of India on the ground of sex, caste or religion. Article 21 of the constitution gives the rights to everyone to move freely and live life with dignity. The decision of the council does not give a damn to it. It seems that Principles of degree colleges are ignoramus about the constitutional rights of women.

The council has not given any special instruction to boys on dress code. This discrimination is against the constitution. Though, Article 39 of Indian constitution enables the state institutions to take affirmative actions for women empowerment but the institution seems to work against it. Indian government and other non government institutions are fighting for the rights of women because the progress of the nation can not speed up without including the female population, which amount to 48% of the total population. Even after the independence the female literacy ration could not cross 50% though government has implemented special educational schemes for the girls. These discriminatory decisions would discourage girls morally and made them feel second class citizens.

Recently, France President Nicholas Sarkozy has decided that veiling, which is prevalent in Islamic culture, was not welcome in the country because it was no a symbol of religion but sign of subservience for women. Indian intelligencia like professors of Chatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (Kanpur) should learn lessons from the France.

Police administration of the city must ensure the safety of the girls from the bad elements of the society. Banning jeans is not an appropriate solution to put a stop on these wrongdoings. It will rather boost the morale of hooligans. Either college administration should make similar rules for both genders or they should restrain themselves from taking unfair norms. Modesty in college dress is needed. As for as the dress code in the colleges is concerned, not only girls but also boys should follow the self made regulations to maintain the decorum of the educational institutes.

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