International Women’s Day 2016

Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan rides on Harley Davidson to Parliament on Woman's Day

 
 Ranjan, who came to Parliament riding a Harley Davidson bike, believes that reservation in Lok Sabha was not the solution but part of a larger effort needed to empower women.

It was a sight not seen often when woman MP Ranjeet Ranjan on Tuesday rode to Parliament on an orange Harley-Davidson motorcycle to make a statement on Women’s Day.  The 42-year-old Lok Sabha member belonging to Congress from Bihar’s Supaul, wearing a blue attire with helmet and sunglasses, rode around the Parliament complex before entering the House to take part in day’s proceedings.

A mother of two, Ranjeet said she does not allow even her husband Rajesh Ranjan, also a Lok Sabha member from Bihar, to touch the bike, which she had purchased from her own earnings.

However, he does get a chance to sit pillion as she rides the American monster.

Ranjan believes that reservation in Lok Sabha was not the solution but part of a larger effort needed to empower women.

Ranjan said while granting reservation, it should be kept in mind that kith and kin of women MPs do not enter Parliament or local bodies, and its benefit should go to women who actually need reservation for upliftment.

She said she was initially reluctant to ride on motorbike due to the reaction of the media and others. “But I kept aside these thoughts and rode the bike,” she said

The strange and sexist ways India tried to celebrate International Women’s Day

In recent years, celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8 has become pretty mainstream in India. The day marks the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

But we are practically killing its spirit.

Retailers often use the day to offer discounts on beauty products, lingerie, salon services and home decor items. These offers reinforce stereotypes that women’s worth and desires are limited to their appearance and homes, a plainly sexist message.

It was no different this year—though there were some who did get it right.

Here’s a look at the good, the strange, and the downright ugly of International Women’s Day celebration in India this year:

The good

Workplace equality: Indian television commercials are not really known for portraying women as independent spirits. For women’s day this year, Tata Group’s watch and accessories brand, Titan, released a commercial with the tagline, “Change the way you look at a woman’s success.” It hit all the right notes.

Flying solo: National carrier, Air India, set a record by operating the world’s longest all-women flight from Delhi to San Francisco. From the ground staff to pilots and in-flight attendants, the flight was managed by an all-women team.

The airline also operated 20 other all-women crewed flights on domestic and international routes on March 6.

The strange

Riding in: Congress lawmaker Ranjeet Ranjan arrived at the gates of Parliament in New Delhi on a rust-coloured Harley-Davidson on March 8.

Ranjan’s ride gave the security staff a nervous moment as the motorbike did not have the mandatory sticker for vehicles to enter parliament premises.

Eventually, speaker Sumitra Mahajan sanctioned entry for her motorcycle.

The downright ugly

Moisturizing lotion: A prominent media house in the country decided to celebrate its female staff by giving them beauty products. And while gifts should make one happy, some journalists were furious.

“I work here just like the men do, and I get paid for it. Why do I deserve this sexist gift?” a senior reporter at the newspaper said in reaction to a bottle of lotion she found at her desk early morning on March 8, requesting anonymity.

High on Heels: Old Wild West restaurant in India’s business capital Mumbai ran a “High on Heels” scheme offering discounts based on the size of heels that women wore.

“For the first time ever, your heels can give you a lot more than just foot pain,” the restaurant said in an online classifieds listing. “So here’s the deal, higher your heels higher the discount you get on your overall bill.”

If the scheme itself wasn’t off the mark, the restaurant took it another step. “All the lovely women make sure you wear your HIGHEST heels and get set to show your best moves as our DJ will be belting his best tunes,” the listing added.

Twitterati: Hundreds of Twitter users voiced their sentiments, with #InternationalWomensDay trending in the country pretty much throughout the day. From film stars and politicians, everyone congratulated women for what they do. And here are what some had to say:

And then, of course, there were tens of those who went on asking.

I absolutely love being a woman and i celebrate that every single day! 💃🏻…
P.S. When is Men's Day? 😜

— Kriti Sanon (@kritisanon) March 8, 2016

Random question, when is Men's Day?

— Anushka Jhota (@AJumbled) March 8, 2016