00:00Priti Ma'am Khosophar, welcome to INS.
00:03And Ma'am, as a woman, how do you see the massive change in the political scenario
00:09as the woman bill is going to pass, 33% woman reservation bill is going to be passed.
00:15So how do you see the political scenario?
00:19You know, I think the fact that this bill is finally being passed after 27 long years,
00:26I believe it was first introduced in 1996.
00:30So the fact that this bill is being passed is more than a political movement,
00:34it's also a civilizational movement for India.
00:39In the Lok Sabha, there's only 15% representation right now of Indian women
00:43and that is like a democracy with one hand tied behind your back.
00:48So I feel like with this bill being passed, it's like that hand has been opened.
00:52And when that hand has been opened, finally the constitution is getting up
00:57and telling women that come and take your seat here at this table
01:01where decisions are actually being made.
01:03So it's a very huge moment for all the women that I think about who waited for this bill,
01:11who fought for this bill, who marched for this bill,
01:15who, you know, all of our, all women, even somebody like my mother,
01:19who has waited for these moments.
01:22So I think it's a very, very huge political and civilizational moment for India.
01:27Ma'am, how will it impact the society?
01:32I think that the ripple effect that this bill will have will be enormous
01:36because we have seen when it reaches this critical 30% mass of women in the constitution,
01:41I think it will have a huge impact.
01:43It's shown in all the countries where there is a larger women representation
01:48that women empowerment increases a lot.
01:52There will be a lot of changes, I feel, when women come in on girl-child education,
01:58on health issues, on educational issues, education for children
02:04and a lot of social reforms.
02:07We have seen wherever the women have entered, even in the village areas,
02:11in the village panchayats, they have brought about changes.
02:14And this is a fact.
02:15And these changes have happened even in the road structures,
02:19in getting clean water.
02:21And imagine these changes happening on a national level.
02:24So I think the ripple effect will be enormous.
02:27What impact will have in policy making at a broader level?
02:34Again, I think it will be a huge impact on policy making.
02:39But I do feel that we need to, along with the bill,
02:42the bill is the door for women.
02:45Now I think there also need to be reforms, social reforms,
02:50more education for women,
02:51more confidence-building society movements for women,
03:02along with the bill.
03:04And the changes that women, like we've seen,
03:06they bring about huge changes.
03:08And the actual issues that are known as charity issues
03:12will now be known as national necessities.
03:16Girl-child education, women education,
03:20social reforms, better roads, clean water,
03:24basic things that are required for living,
03:29for the whole culture, for the whole constitution,
03:35for the whole country to move forward.
03:38These are the main changes that I think women can bring about.
03:41Ma'am, as you said that it took a long time
03:44for this bill to be present in the parliament.
03:48Do you think that it really took a long time
03:50and it should be taken much earlier?
03:53So then we would have been a better place
03:55or in a better society?
03:57What should have been, what could have been,
03:59yes, it should have not taken that many years.
04:021996 was when it was first introduced.
04:04So it should not have taken 27 years.
04:07But I will not dwell on the past.
04:09I will say that this change has happened now.
04:11I think it's a huge change
04:13and it's a necessary change
04:15and it has happened.
04:17So I'm going to say congratulations
04:18to our government and to our constitution
04:20for this bill being passed
04:23and I think it is good that it's happened now.
04:27I'm not going to dwell on why it didn't happen.
04:30Ma'am, do you see yourself
04:31contesting direction anytime in future?
04:35That's how it will be country, Ma'am.
04:38Well, this question has been asked to me
04:40many times before.
04:41I feel as a woman, as a mother firstly,
04:44I already have a social responsibility
04:47raising two boys.
04:48As an entrepreneur, as a president
04:50of the People's Arm Wrestling Federation India,
04:52one of the few women presidents
04:54of a sports federation.
04:56I'm already doing, I feel so much,
05:00we are working so much at the grassroots level
05:02for all our athletes, including all our para-athletes
05:05and including all of our athletes
05:06who come from lesser privileged backgrounds.
05:09So we already work a lot for society.
05:14But working for society comes in many forms.
05:16And if tomorrow a political party does come to me
05:19and if that call does come,
05:22India has given me everything.
05:24So if that call comes
05:26and I feel that I can make a change for India,
05:29for my country, I will always be there.
05:31Can we see more participation of women
05:33in the Pro-Panjali or like that?
05:36We are the only sports federation
05:38that gives equal opportunities,
05:41equal payment to male, female
05:43and specially able participants.
05:45We are the only sports league
05:46that gives an equal stage
05:48to male, female and specially abled
05:50and one of the few sports
05:51with equal salary in a sports league.
05:55First, we were one of the only,
05:57I think IPL has just now
05:59given women athletes the same
06:01or similar salaries.
06:04So I think, yes,
06:06with Pro-Panjali,
06:07we made that change sometime back
06:09and we are doing that in the future as well.
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