I am proud that young women are making their own rules in India today; this should have happened 10 years ago. Better late than never (‘The misfit’s world’, March 12).
Having said that, I am not sure if staying single is going to keep women happy in the long run. Marriage is one of society’s most important institutions, and is recommended for all. Having children brings fresh perspectives and an increased sense of meaning into our lives.
Also, I feel feminism should not be about bashing men. Men and women should get equal opportunities everywhere. Women should be more vocal about abuse. Men and women, irrespective of their religion and marital status, should have an equal right to the properties of their parents.
Women should be bold, and never tolerate any nonsense.
Saurav Trivedi,
On email.
No matter how much we try to paint a rosy picture of how the new-age woman has claimed her place in society, are these changes doing them any good? While the woman is expected to go out and earn at par with men to run the ever-mounting expenses at home, her domestic responsibilities have not been shared or lessened.
It is only fair to ask if there has been an equitable shift in the role of men. Are they shouldering responsibilities at home in the same proportion, barring the occasional grocery shopping?
It is good to have role models and emerging faces of women empowerment, but we cannot ignore the fact that the new-age woman is burdened with conventional and new roles.
Piyush Vardhini,
On email.
Modern women have no doubt scaled unprecedented heights in the fields of art and literature, politics, business and professional management. But many women have fallen prey to the machinations of cunning men who are hell-bent upon exploiting and destroying them.
I noticed that nowhere in your cover story have you mentioned about the inheritance rights of women. The Supreme Court had recently conferred daughters with equal right to parents’ property. The judgement unequivocally said that women have equal rights to ancestral property, irrespective of any cut-off period. Why are Indian women not demanding equal rights to their parents’ properties?
It is sad that most women have surrendered to their brothers and parents. Women’s liberation will remain a myth till important issues concerning women are not addressed.
K.V. Dharmarajan,
On email.
We were touched
The letter from the editor (March 12) was a compelling read. It was one of the best letters from the editor that I have read.
I liked the way Philip Mathew signed off, by mentioning about his parents. I am sure the editor’s parents, when they were alive, were an enticing couple.
Swati V.A.R.,
On email.
I liked the letter from the editor. It had an O. Henry-style ending. Good job.
Balagangadharan,
On email.
The last lines in the letter from the editor were very touching. There was a useful message for young people. Marriage is not about compatibility in these materialistic times. It should be about respecting each other’s differences and finding points of convergence. My wife and I are as different as chalk and cheese. We have been married for four decades and have two children. We, like the editor’s parents, have had no major earthquakes. It is our common values that bind us together.
V.R. Sashidhar,
On email.
I wish the editor’s parents were still with us. Marriages are made in heaven, and successful marriages are about compromising and being flexible. Today, sadly, the institution called marriage is failing for trivial reasons.
Tanushri Nagpal,
On email.
The moment I pick up THE WEEK, the first thing I read is the letter from the editor.
It is so crisp and always has a message direct from the heart. Just love the structure.
Sanjay Jain,
On email.
Uddhav to be blamed
Uddhav Thackeray is to be blamed for the mess that he is in today; he should not have joined the Congress-led alliance in Maharashtra (‘Like a flaming torch’, March 12). It is clear that the BJP wants to occupy the hindutva space fully in Maharashtra. They are playing second fiddle to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena only till 2024 to buy time. If elected to power in the assembly elections in 2024, the BJP will have its own chief minister, and Shinde and company will have no influence.
Yash Kothari,
On email.
Pray for Pak
Your cover story on Pakistan was an eye-opener not only for India but also the world (‘Tragedy of errors’, February 26).
It is extremely sad to see our neighbouring country in such a vulnerable condition where people are struggling to afford even the most basic necessities. It was the government’s actions that led to such a situation.
There is a lesson here for other countries, on what to do and what not to do. All countries should focus on increasing the number of exports and decreasing the number of imports as that is going to strengthen the country financially.
Pakistan is blessed with natural resources, but has a weak economy. The situation has gone to such an extent that the middle class in the country are crying their lungs out because they cannot pay for their children’s education and food. Though the country is seeking help from the International Monetary Fund, nobody knows if this will worsen the situation or make it any better.
Let us pray for the betterment of Pakistan.
Arra Prerna,
On email.