Sensible better-halves
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: February 23, 2013 -

In his inimitable style, internationally renowned humorist and author of 'How to be a Sincere Phoney, a Handbook for Politicians and Bureaucrats', Dr James H Boren, once observed, 'A dress that zips up the back will bring a husband and wife together'.

Even if this observation may be true when we look at the physicality of the relationship, the real essence of the relationship between husbands and wives, however, should not end with just zipping up or down the dresses.

If the relationship ends just at that, then, it would be too banal and hackneyed. As a matter of fact, marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman for a greater purpose in life.

So, in marriage the husband as well as the wife needs to share equal responsibilities both in and outside of home. They need to complement each other in facing the trials of tribulation of life.

Well, this write up is not a discourse on the social and familial values that go into the making of a successful marriage between two complete strangers, a man and a woman.

Nor are we trying to sermonize on the mutual respect and understanding that a husband and a wife should have for the well-being of their family that constitutes a tiny unit of the larger society and the humanity at large.

This is all about the impact that husband and wife can have on each other's life and career. After all, the goal of marriage is not to think alike but to think together.

How the American First Ladies played significant role in getting their husbands elected to the White House as well as in making their administrations successful is something well known and documented, especially after the 1960 Presidential elections.

Right from the tenure of Abigail Smith Adams, the wife of John Adams, the second President of United States of America to the present First Lady Michelle Obama, wife of two-time elected and incumbent US President Barak Obama, American First Ladies have exercised great influence in the administrative work and decision of their husbands.

It is on this count that most American women, who are also increasingly aware of political solutions for problems they faced in their homes and on their jobs, looked to the better halves of the President for an example and for help.

However, when it comes to Indian context, the better halves of elected legislators mostly remained as shadowy figures even if some of them were lucky enough to get elected on 'sympathy votes' or on the strength of their politician-hubby.

In such a backdrop, it is very interesting to know that at least three better halves of the elected representatives in Manipur have taken a vow to help their husbands in reaching out to the people in every nook and corner of the State.

As the pioneering trio, who too have their own careers to look after, has pleaded, the rest of counterparts should join in the endeavour.

This would surely help in doing away with the public perception and stereotyping of the wives of Ministers and MLAs as some species who could not look beyond the gold ornaments they could adorn from the ill-begotten money of their husbands.