Women Fail Women When They Protest Against Their Own Entry Into a Temple; How Can We Then Expect an India With Equal Rights?

The women's wing of India's ruling party is protesting on the streets of Thiruvananthapuram against the entry of women of menstruating age inside the Sabarimala Temple. The Opposition, too, is going to hold a protest on similar lines. It's women against women. It's women telling other women that the rules made by other human beings, reeking of patriarchy, are divine and must be followed. It's the mother telling her daughter not to pray because she is on her period. It's the mother-in-law telling her daughter-in-law to not enter the kitchen because she is bleeding. It's the woman telling the woman to not call her husband by his name. It's women against women. Sabarimala Temple Verdict: Doors For Ayyappa Darshan Open For Women of All Age Groups, Rules Supreme Court Saying Biological Reasons Can't be Given Legitimacy.

And that's not just about menstruating women or their rights. It's widespread. A few days ago, Rakhi Sawant called actor Tanushree Dutta names because the latter had to courage to speak out against sexual harassment at workplace and name personalities like Nana Patekar and Vivek Agnihotri. A woman editor of a magazine, in fact, went to the extent of calling Tanushree a political agent planted by the Opposition because she accused Vivek Agnihotri of sexual harassment.

With this being the current state of the country, it's a humongous journey before we get an India that has equal rights for men and women. The word has come from the supreme law authority but it's our women folk that refuses to leave patriarchy behind and move ahead. The sad part is that in several parts of India, this is passed on from one generation to another and is, hence, deeply imbibed. Sabarimala Verdict by Supreme Court Highlights: 'Women are Worshipped like Goddesses, Temple Doors Cannot be Closed For Them'.

This agenda of barring menstruating women or just simply women from entering places of worship is just one of the many issues plaguing our country. Why can't we pray at the temples, mosques at our own will? Who decides this? Have these things come in written from the Gods? They haven't for sure since no religious verse says so. It's deep-rooted patriarchy and women need to stand united against it.

It's our sisterhood that is the need of the hour to ensure we get what we deserve, we get what's ours, we get our rights. We need to stop victim-shaming among ourselves. If we stand against each other in this, if we demean each other in this, how do we think of an India with equal rights for us, for you and me?

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 04, 2018 01:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).