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International columnist, political analyst and senior journalist Ahmed Mohiuddin Siddiqui’s articles are published across Asia, Africa and Europe. He writes for The Moroccan Times, The Tunis Times, India Tomorrow, Kohram News, The Etemaad Urdu Daily and for news papers published from Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. You can follow him on Twitter at: @journopolana[/symple_box]
The Bollywood actress and super model Huma Qureshi is going places in the Indian film industry. The beautiful seductress, who made her film debut with Gangs of Wasseypur is a household name in India. Born into a conservative Muslim family from New Delhi, the capital of India, Huma has climbed up the ladder of success in no time. As the world celebrates the International Day for Women, Huma Qureshi stands up and gets counted not only for her stupendous success as an actress but also as a human being par excellence. The ‘‘thinking’’ actress’ heart bleeds for the fair sex who do not get fair treatment within the Hindi film industry and outside. She has taken up the cudgels on behalf of the female brigade.
Huma Qureshi has a task cut out – ‘Let’s make some noise about an equal and just world for women and men.’ She has candidly aired her views on the pay disparity in Bollywood, where the female leads are paid much lower than their male counterparts. India is a country where sons are preferred over daughters even in the 21st century. The female sex ratio is plummeting in many areas. Haryana is one such state in the north of India. A couple of months ago, Huma Qureshi participated in a function at a girls’ school in Rohtak to bring about awareness towards this gigantic challenge and show her support for the girl child.
The super sexy actress has been associated with an NGO ‘Breakthrough’ for years now. She had attended one of their seminars during her college days in New Delhi and had also performed a street play for them on gender equality. Huma Qureshi was the chief guest of the event, where she felicitated female achievers like boxing champion winners and women who drove the first pink rickshaw and so on. The
Mission Hazaar campaign strategically connects the growing concern about women’s safety and restrictions on her mobility.
There are only 889 girls per 1000 boys in Haryana as per the latest figures available in 20216. Boys even travel up to 3,000 kilometres to get their brides. The Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act is being implemented in Haryana and those found involved in female foeticide have been put behind bars after registering criminal cases against them. Separate women’s police stations have been set up in all districts of Haryana to enable women victims to lodge complaints without any fear. However, much more needs to be done in this direction. It is here that the efforts of Huma Qureshi count much in bringing the much-needed awareness in society not to kill girls in the wombs of the mothers.
We need to salute Huma Qureshi’s phenomenal contribution to the cause of the girl child and her striving for the much sought after gender parity. There is no other better occasion than the International Women’s Day to do that. Women should get their rightful due at home and outside.
Perhaps, it is for women like the bold and the beautiful Huma Qureshi, Sir Allama Muhammed Iqbal had said thus in the sweet Urdu language:
Roman script of the Urdu couplet:
Wujood-e-Zan Se Hai Tasveer-e-Kainat Mein Rang
Issi Ke Saaz Se Hai Zindagi Ka Souz-e-Darun
English translation of the above Urdu couplet:
The picture that this world presents from woman gets its tints and scents:
She is the lyre that can impart pathos and warmth to human heart.
