Srinagar, April 20 -- When the Nari Shakti Vandan Act was passed in India, it was hailed as "historic," Parliament erupted in applause, and a new era of women's empowerment was announced. But amidst all this celebration, an uncomfortable question persisted: are the doors of politics truly open for women, or is it merely a new symbolic framework being created into which the same old image of power will be fitted? The character of Indian politics has been more realistic and, at times, harsh, than idealistic. Where equations prevail over principles, and morality often shifts according to the convenience of power, expecting that reservation alone will change the character of the system may be naive. Increasing women's participation in politic...