Nation Unites For Pran Pratishtha; We Need This Unity For Women's Issues

When the Nirbhaya accused were persecuted and hanged to death, I glued myself to the television to see the live reporting. At that time, I was at home with my family. But no one was as interested and excited as I was. No one even cared to watch the live reporting. Today marks another historical day as the Lord Ram Idol has been placed in Ayodhya Ram Mandir in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. The entire nation is now glued to the television, including my family members. What made this difference? 

Since the day Ram Mandir was in its building stage, the entire nation has been celebrating it. Calling it a historical moment, the nation is welcoming Lord Ram to his birthplace in Ayodhya. Famous people from various sectors came together at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya to witness the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. It is indeed encouraging to see the unity that this event has generated in our country. 

Issues That The Country Is Facing

However, it would have been great if this unity could stay to tackle other issues too. Our country is plagued by issues like unemployment, poverty, climate issues, pollution and more. In our country, no woman feels safe because they are not allowed to live, let alone have a choice in life. 

Recently, a team of health officials found a 22-week-old female foetus in the dustbin of a private hospital in Karnataka. According to experts, 38 per cent of Indian women across all strata are affected by violence. The recent NCRB report 2022 revealed that the number of crimes against women was 4,28,278 in 2021, showing an increase of over 20,000 more cases this year. Women form half of the population of the country and yet their right to live is jeopardised every day. Why don't these issues track attention and unity? 

Cases of stripping and assaulting them have seen a new rise. In recent months, many cases of women being paraded naked and assaulted in public have come to the fore from different states of our country. Why didn't the public unite then to save those women? 

Another raging issue that I want to talk about is the atrocities against Dalits and people belonging to lower caste face. In recent days, many cases have been reported in which Dalit students were made clean toilets or septic tanks. When Dalit students are not respected as humans, what would be the situation of Dalit adults? 

Today, PM Modi reportedly showered flowers on people who worked on the construction of the temple. Why isn't such respect and humanity shown to workers daily? The education sector of our country is also no good. Many cases of suicide have been reported of students who couldn't clear competitive exams. Recent reports showed that more than half of the rural teens enrolled in Arts/Humanities struggle with Maths. Moreover, women are less likely to enrol in STEM streams. A TISS report revealed that 41 per cent of Maths teachers do not have expertise in the subject. Why doesn't the country unite in seeking a better education system where students not only learn to pass but also grow mentally and empathetically?  

What Creates A National History?

The question is why is the same energy and unity not seen when the country faces a crisis? Are solving gender inequality, unemployment, climate issues and caste inequality not pivotal to creating history? Can India's history only be built through monuments and religious unity? Why can't India dream of becoming a country of social equality? Won't that be historical enough? 

Just like the people of India are celebrating the consecration, they should also work on uniting themselves on other issues that have gripped the society for ages. It is this unity that is required to vote for a better government, to oppose toxic traditions of the society and to encourage development and equality. Speak up, dear India.  

Views expressed are the author's own.