Daughter a liability for SC woman-judge

New Delhi, Dec 29: As someone intelligent once said, 'A woman is a woman's worst enemy'. The fact was proved by none other than Supreme Court judge Gyan Sudha Mishra. The judge, the only woman judge in the SC has a unique distinction in her favour. She has listed the marriage of her two daughters in the "liabilities" column.

At a time when Indian woman are breaking the glass ceiling and rocking the board room with their dynamism, this comes as a put-off. The SC has made it mandatory to declare the assets and liabilities of its judges. This is where Justice Mishra has declared "two daughters to be married" in the liabilities column.

What can be considered a popular sentiment of the middle class for whom the family budget is a tight rope walk, what is surprising is that this sentiment was revealed by India's senior woman judge. With the governments widespread campaigns to put forth that the girl-child is never a burden, this news has come as a eye-opener for the apparent "learned" ones amongst us. The other entries in the judge's liabilities column include "guarantor for education loan of my daughter" and residential house to be built post-retirement.

The declaration will raise quite a few eyebrows since it came from a key representative of the apex body. The issue gains prominence as the SC is called-in to give judgment is various gender issues and is supposed to give an impartial opinion on women's rights and other social issues.

In the asset section, Justice Mishra who was with the Chhattisgarh high court previously declared that "Stridhan" of one gold set and "few gold rings and a pair of bangles." The term "stridhan" garners various interpretations with its literal meaning.

While one would want to believe that 'sthree' (woman) is the real wealth rather than what she brings from her family that is precious. Hope good sense prevails among the educated and well-endowed amongst us and be able to set good examples among the less fortunate, both in terms of sense and wealth.

OneIndia News