Women Don't Need Tokenism To Succeed: SG Tushar Mehta

At a time when there is a greater focus on gender equality across sectors in the country, several women have excelled across sectors including the legal profession and there are many eminent professionals who have made it big solely on the back of their merit, said Mr Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India on Saturday.

Speaking at a programme 'Celebrating the Women in the Legal Fraternity and their Remarkable Journey' organized by the Society of Indian Law Firms Ladies Group (SLG), the Solicitor General emphasised that tokenism in the long run against the interest of a woman. 

Women are superior in every way

In line with the theme of the event, Mehta emphasised that women are superior to men in every way. In this vein, he cautioned women against attempting to be equal to men.

“Ladies who want to be equal to men lack ambition because they are already ahead of men. Why should you downgrade yourself in an attempt to be equal to men, he said.

Mehta cited a study to elucidate how women are superior to men. The study conducted in the aviation industry to assess the crisis management skills of male and female aviators revealed that women kept relatively better composure and managed an adversarial situation with more calmness. 

Statistical figures not a measure of success

While advancing the cause of adequate and fair gender representation in the legal profession, one often witnesses thought leaders and advocacy groups citing dismal statistics to highlight the low representation of women in decision-making positions. Putting forth his views on the usual practice, Mehta said that he does not subscribe to the theory that the success of any man or a woman can be judged by statistical figures. In his opinion, considering the impact and legacy of one individual should be seen as a measure of success as opposed to getting discouraged by statistical success. 

Highlighting late Indira Gandhi’s example, he said, that out of all the powerful Prime Ministers the country has seen, there was only one lady and she was enough when an emergency was imposed. 

You don't have to say that we had 30 of the prime ministers who belonged to a particular gender, he explained. 

He admitted that a percentage-based representation might be necessary in public life but in professional life competence and merit hold the key to measuring success.

"You don't need tokenism, you deserve what you deserve. There is a discussion, some percentage to be kept for the ladies in the judiciary, but that is not an honour being conferred upon the ladies," he said.