Millions of Women Elected Representatives in Panchayat and Urban
Local Bodies (ULBs) since 1993, yet we have fewer Women in Assemblies and
Parliament, while many men who were Elected in Panchayat or ULBs have made it
to the Assemblies and Parliament, the Women are left far behind, making it a
fit case to analyze why the women reservation is actually not empowering women politically
at the Panchayat and ULB level.
Women reservation at the Panchayat and ULBs was hailed as a revolutionary
step, but little did we know how reservation would be misused for the benefit
of the few powerful. Male Leaders fielding female relatives as proxy candidates
to hold on to power is rampant, far fewer independent women get opportunities
at the Panchayat level. In the ULBs where elections are fought on Party tickets
the scenario is no different, women workers in the political parties are sidelined
in favor of female relatives of the male leaders who keep the power within the
family as and when the reservations rotate. If women reservation was implemented
with the right intent and with the spirit to create a pipeline of women
leaders, more Councilors and Corporators like their male counterparts would
have aspired to become MLAs and MPs.
Yes, in reality the women reservation at Panchayat and ULBs has
been misused, but does it make an argument not to pass the Women Reservation
Bill, and stall the political empowerment of 50% of our population? Well, drunk
driving is no reason to ban cars, and there is a need to find ways to
end political power becoming family extension of male leaders in the name of
women reservation.
Even though every major political party talks about making the Women
Reservation Bill a reality, and have proudly put it in their manifesto, the
Bill is still gathering dust, and discourse on political empowerment of women by
the political parties is a mere lip service.
Deeper argument is also that political parties have few women in
their decision-making bodies in the organization structure, so expecting them
to give more tickets to women is a far cry. Why are political parties
reluctant to field women candidates in Assembly and Parliament elections? And
two common excuses are Winnability or(and) Lack of ticket seekers!
Winnability, rather non-winnability is the most
common excuse given by every political party in every election, but actual data
calls their bluff, on the scale of winnability women have done better than men.
Also, when all men who get tickets don’t win why is the responsibility of
winning is so heavily pushed as a criterion on women? Assuming even if winnability
is an issue than, it’s all the more important to pass the Women Reservation
Bill so that it’s the women who are contesting against each other in the women reserved
constituencies.
Lack of ticket seekers, when winnability claims gets questioned this becomes the next
safe excuse, and certainly the most bogus argument. When political parties
claim to have women wing in their organization, how can one accept the lack of
ticket seekers as a legitimate claim? Debunking this claim is the huge increase
in the number of independent women candidates over the last 20 years in the
Assembly and Parliament elections, indicating how keen women are in fighting
elections and being part of political process.
50% of the Indian population is not equally represented in the
lawmaking process both in the State and in the Center, any argument to further
delay the Bill is injustice and political exile for the women of this country.
From Panchayat to Parliament women reservation has to be seamless, and unless
we do not see 50% of the population represented in the Assemblies and
Parliament our law-making process is not inclusive indeed.
Women Reservations does not mean women have to be judged
differently on competency or performance nor it’s an entitlement or one more
avenue to push the female relatives of male leader. It is about providing a
level playing ground for women to be part of the political spectrum and be counted
as lawmakers.
Make no mistake, India needs inclusivity in its lawmaking
process and today lawmaking is almost an exclusive men club in which views of
50% population of this nation are excluded.
Patriarchy has no place in new age politics, time has come to
end the political exile of the women. Parties have to demonstrate political
will and empower women of this nation politically, women are no political pariahs!
Kavitha Reddy
AICC Member & KPCC Spokesperson
(views expressed are in personal
capacity)
Published in B.PAC Blog
Published in B.PAC Blog