Dear Government, Here’s Why Your Wannabe ‘Pro-Women’ Pink Stinks

We women didn’t collectively call dibs on this colour – your empty gimmicks won’t fly.

It’s in vogue in our country to paint all initiatives “for women” in pink.

(Photo: The Quint/Erum Gour)

Video Editor: Prashant Chauhan
Video Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha

Pink balloons, pink tablecloths, pink walls, pink teddy bears... The list goes on.

Ahead of Karnataka Assembly elections, the Election Commission has announced that it will set up special pink polling booths to woo – no points for guessing – women! There will be 450 such booths across the state, with the stated aim of incentivising women to vote.

But in the glaring absence of any real progress for women, does it mean anything? Absolutely not.

It’s in vogue in our country to paint all initiatives “for women” in pink. But it’s high time we recognise this for what it is – a gimmick.

Think pink autos, pink metro seats and demarcations, and even a pink Economic Survey 2018 that was tabled by Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian recently.

Now, think lack of safety, increasing crimes against women, roadblocked reservation for women in Parliament, female infanticide.

The irony is hard to miss. So, dear ministers and government bodies, please stop insulting women’s intelligence by painting your initiatives pink. Focus on real work, and real issues. And make our votes count!

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