[Marxistindia] Brinda's letter to PM -- Women's Commission

[news from the cpi(m)]

7th September, 2009

We are releasing the text of the
Letter Addressed to the Prime Minister by Brinda Karat, MP on
Appointment of a Full-time Chairperson of the Women's Commission.
                             *************

Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh ji,


This to draw your kind attention to the absence of a fulltime
Chairperson of the National Commission for Women. The present incumbent
Dr. Girija Vyas whose work in the Commission has earned her the highest
regard and respect, was elected to the Lok Sabha and has therefore to
shoulder her responsibilities as a Member of Parliament. During the last
session of Parliament I had spoken to the Minister concerned Smt.
Krishna Tirath as well as Dr. Girija Vyas, and both of them had agreed
that a fulltime Chairperson is required. However, since three months
have elapsed and the Government has not taken the necessary step to
appoint a new Chairperson I am writing this letter to you.


On an earlier occasion I had drawn your attention to the injustice meted
out to the Commission in that the Chairperson of other similarly
constituted Commissions had the status of a Cabinet Minister which was
denied to the Chairperson of the Women’s Commission and was therefore
discriminatory. But now instead of undoing that injustice, the
Government has shown its indifference and neglect of the Commission by
the inordinate delay in appointing a full time Chairperson. 


The National Commission for Women is not a Government department. It was
born out of a long struggle of women for a statutory autonomous body to
monitor the implementation of constitutional and legal guarantees for
women and to intervene where there were violations by the State as also
on all policy matters concerning women. There is resentment among women
about the approach of the Government to the Commission. 


I hope you will kindly intervene in the matter to ensure the appointment
of a fulltime Chairperson with a similar status as given to Chairpersons
of other commissions. 


BRINDA KARAT