India’s First Woman President?

Symbolism is meaningless. Real empowerment of women does not require merely electing one to position of power - symbolic or otherwise. In fact, such moves are counter-productive because they produce the ``feel good`` effect without actually doing anything about the underlying, systemic weaknesses which lead to the exploitation of women.

#8 Harish

You got to distinguish between tongue-in-cheek comments and between outright exclamations of idiocy - both of which get doled out aplenty on this web-site - the latter mostly packaged as articles. :)

#8 bjkumar

You see ``suck``-ular a*holes like this bevakoof are allowed to say anything they like - it can be hateful, fascist and the most violent language. No problem !!!

The worst hypocrisy of these people is that if you say a single thing about their own background they will immediately start screaming ``anti-islam`` ``religion of peace (!)`` and what not. But they feel comfortable about saying hateful things about any other group !!

And this moron thinks he is an ``intellectual`` !! Soft of like a monkey immitating a person writing with a pencil...

I`m afraid that the only country still practising a form of apartheid is our India........Leading to massive brain drain.........but despite that Brahmins still continue to shine after all hurdles in their path.........

When are we going to see a Brahmin President in tandem with a Brahmin PM.......:))

#11 Mishraji

Ama yaar, even the bewakoofs of the world need a forum! :)

(Psst: I sometimes wonder what I am doing here!) :(

As a woman, I don`t see anything great in a woman becoming president of India if she, like many other ``netas`` has got a murky background. Other than the usual cries of ``smear campaign``, if there is any truth in the allegations against Madam Patil, they should be investigated and aired before she is chosen to office. The law should be the same for men or women and she, as a presidential candidate, should be an untarnished person (possible,you think?!). Whether she becomes the first woman (for God`s sake, this is not a Guiness book item!!) or whatever her religious or other beliefs maybe, is of secondary importance.

Dr Kalam should have been given a second term in deference to the wishes of the vast majority of India`s citizens

Re: # 15

Thats right........but what happened........the real PM (SG) wanted a right PM (MS) and has now anointed Ms Patil as her President.......both being her ``chelas``

Dr Abdul Kalam will remain the people`s choice...........for a long time to come.........

May he continue to develop more potent missiles against our jehadi neighbours...............

Re: # 15
Absolutely, but unfortunately the janata don`t get a direct hand in this. It has become a free-for-all with all the fat cats jockeying their preferred candidates into position to get to the presidential chair.
My only hope is that given Dr.Kalam`s down-to-earth approach, self-driven ideas and initiative, he will probably continue to be active as an expresident.Let us hope that he is able to go on with the programs he initiated as president, especially regarding technology, children and education.

Re: # 17

yes, while we dont have a hand in this election......the new president, he or she faces the almost impossible task of living up to the standards set by Prez Kalam......and the citizens will be doing the comparison.....