68 SOCIAL SCIENTIST concept of personal law is an aid to the ends of governance. The view from below is that personal law not only needs reform, but needs to be replaced by a civil code that enshrines the equality of women and their right to economic, social and cultural well-being. In fact Sec. 125 of the Cr. P.C. was seen as a step in this direction. Parashar has based her view from below on parliamentary debates and statements of various leaders on the question of personal law and the civil code to show the rank opportunism of the government and the political leadership. Her reportage will benefit women's organisations and civil rights groups to consistently raise the slogan of a uniform civil code. Such activists will understand how important their role is when they see that the present political system is not ruled by logic, rights, laws or principles, but caves in to pressure tactics and lobbying. In the present political discourse solidarity action assumes a new importance. Parashar also makes an interesting point: she shows how Indira Gandhi and Rajiv undermined the secular credentials of the government, which had reformed Hindu personal law, despite stiff opposition from orthodox members of the community during Nehru's days, by denying Hindu women, under the Special Marriages Act, the benefit of the Hindu Succession Act or the custody of the child. She raises the question of dowry, control of the body, financial assistance and above all the variety of inequalities under different personal laws, as areas for solidarity action and reform. The question she rightly asks is—What is India? What is her identity? Where is the uniform law in terms of which we are all equal? Can we then answer— There is one India but there are many categories of Indians? NINA RAO