CHAITALI SHOME, OP
BHUBANESWAR: The State Commission for Women Odisha, also known as OSC, came into being in 1993. Questions are often raised as to what it has done for the wellbeing of the women in the state. Its report cards are seen as mere bluff and bluster. The heads of the Commission have changed periodically, and some were active, others remained low-profile, kept touring the state and ignored real issues of women. The OSC is passing through a bad patch in recent times and discontentment is widespread among women activists as regards lack of meaningful action.
The commission is currently headed by Lopamudra Buxi Patra, a Congress woman turned BJD leader. ”What is this commission doing? I do not know. What I can say for sure is no great work is being done. For instance, if any complaint is filed by a woman against a BJD activist, nothing comes out of it. Matters are seen from a political light and issues are swept under the carpet,” alleged Dr. Lekhasri Samant Singhar, a woman activist.
Notably, Dr Lekhasri is a BJP camp follower. Said she, “There are instances of complaints being suppressed by the state women commission, and the police is often seen to be acting as per directions from the government irrespective of the merits or demerits of a case. The commission is acting like an agent of the BJD. For example, a woman by name Parbati Sasmal had handed over a letter to Prime Minister Modi during one of his Orissa visits. When she went back to her village, she was attacked by BJD men. What did the women commission do? Nothing!”
The state government appoints its own people to head various organisations, and they are failing to do a job. This is the case with the state women commission as well. I would urge the government to appoint as head of the state women commission someone who can rise beyond the interests of the political parties. Also, the state government would do well to give more powers to the women commission. Instead, what is happening under the present commission is that even grave cases like the acid attacks on women are being neglected or ignored. So is the case with dowry deaths, rape cases and abductions. The women commission fails to make its presence felt and give reassurance to the victimized women. Big talks or issuing public statements against such actions alone will not be of any help.”
Problem, says Tapasi Praharaj, woman activist of the CPI(M), is that the commission doesn’t have enough staff to run its systems. “There is a clear lack of infrastructure, which adds to the problems in running the commission effectively. Also, the commission doesn’t have any special power to punish culprits. So how can we expect of it to deliver results? It’s a toothless body. Women are bound to get disappointed as the commission is led by members of the ruling party. They are not capable of looking at things beyond the level of politics. Therefore, it’s essential that a non-political individual is appointed as head of the state women commission. It should be one who’s compassionate, sensitive, and with ample experience in handing women issues.”
Woman activist Namrata Chaddha who was previously associated with the state women commission says it has all the requisite facilities, and talk about lack of infrastructure is just crap. “The OSC enjoys a good infrastructure, with qualified staff, a great group of professional counselors, internet connectivity, police protection, access to the lawmakers, transport facilities etc. So, what else does the commission need to perform? See, it all differs from person to person. Some people are out to malign governments as well as the woman commission’s reputation. I pity them.” Asha Hans According to woman activist Asha Hans, “The OSC looks big from the outside, but it is not doing any systematic work. It’s a state government entity, it has problems like lack of funds and infrastructure. Late CM Biju Patnaik was a great champion of women’s causes. However, the kind of empathy he had towards women is rare to find among the present lot of leaders. So, don’t expect much out of the present women commission.”
Lalita Missal Lalita Missal, another woman activist from National Alliance Women’s Organization (NAWO) said, “Not much is happening with the commission. There should be more camps and more branch offices at various levels rather than the commission having an office in the state capital.” There are allegations that the head of the women commission is rarely present at her office, is inaccessible, and often “on tour.” “There is the need for women to feel more safe and secure while filing an FIR, or while going to the women commission with a grievance or to the nearest police station to file a complaint. Many of us feel that an efficient and independent-minded individual, woman of course, should be made the head of the state women commission.
It should be accorded more powers and good infrastructure. Then, functioning will be easy, and results spectacular. There should be no scope for political interference in the functioning of the commission. Feelings at present are that the OSC is becoming a toothless body incapable of action and incapable of solving women’s problems,” she adds. Pramila Swain Says women activist Pramila Swain, ”The OSC doesn’t have any power. Whatever they are doing is pretty limited. The current commission head is organising counseling programmes, camps etc, and talking to NGOs seeking police intervention. Good. However, the maximum power of the OSC is to arrest a culprit. At times, a doctor gives false report, the police files a false charge sheet, and what do you expect of the commission to do? Currently, its resources are not much. So, rather than blaming the commission, let us stand united and help it solve women’s problems.”
MISSING Repeated efforts by OP to contact the state woman commission chief Lopamudra Buxipatra did not succeed. She was on her usual “tour”, the commission office here said.