The verdict is out. The new President of India is going to be a woman. A woman most of us have never heard of. A candidate whose credentials mostly comprise of being a national level badminton and kho-kho champion, and a low-profile politician.
But the qualifications that has gotten this woman the office in Raisina Hill is the fact that she is a Gandhi loyalist and she is a woman!!! I have nothing against Pratibha Patil. She might prove to be a great President. But, need we be reminded that she is replaing arguably the greatest President India has ever had, one of the most inspiring and revered Indian heroes, Abdul Kalam Azad.
The time has come for a woman to occupy the highest office of the country. But is this not a sad state of affairs that when 8 men (see Shivraj Patil, Arjun Singh, Karan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, etc..) couldn't fight it out, just because of coalition compulsions Mrs. Patil was selected being the most aggreable candidate. If we are rooting for a woman President why not the likes of a Kiran Bedi, someone who has inspired and caught the imagination of the Indian people. Someone who has atleast done something for the cause of woman. Someone, we are assured will just not mutely toe the line as dictated by Sonia Madam...
