Justice is undone. Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra, to be precise. Not by a sentence, by a mere phrase - a loaded one which would make the country's only woman judge in the supreme court seem somewhat medieval, and a great deal sexist. She listed the 'marriages' of her two daughters as liabilities in a declaration of assets. Liabilities, wherever they may lie, are not the burden of one sex or the other. So, justice Mishra was roasted over media spitfire and by women's rights activists for suggesting that a daughter's 'marriage' may be a financial liability.

While the 'political correctness' army does have a point - the judge is indeed guilty of ill-thought articulation - is it right to make a front-pager of the episode? Should someone who is holding her own in a turf which, given the statistics, favours men, have her name dragged down for something this trivial? It would probably be more damaging for the womens' rights movement to take down a woman of her merit. Better was expected of her but she tripped. Can't we just let it go at that?

To be fair to Indian parents, a progeny's (not to offend the PC brigade) wedding (another of Mishra's indiscretions - her daughters' marriages are their liabilities, the weddings may safely be considered to fall in her lot) is a costly affair. More so if your economic and social class demands you do it with the mandatory minor Olympics opening ceremony.