The demand for women to get more political space in our Parliament is like a stuck gramophone record of old times; in today’s electronic world, it would be called ‘in a loop’.
Women’s Rights Under V P Singh Govt
During the National Front government of VP Singh in 1990, some of us had worked on an illustrated document with facts, figures and arguments, as to why women should have a 33 percent quota of seats reserved for them in Parliament.
Women in the civil and armed services, the corporate sector, the judiciary and organised labour, showed stark under-representation that would almost certainly amount to exclusion, gender discrimination, or a denial of opportunities through one means or the other. The National Commission for Women was set up in that period. It spear-headed campaigns, and demanded that each party state its views on political representation for women in their manifestos.
It was also argued that political parties must accommodate more women in their party organisations.
Everyone felt mighty uncomfortable, but could no one could openly wriggle out of giving it lip service. Since the Mandal Commission recommendations were also on the agenda of the government, VP Singh sprung OBC reservations out of his to-do-list without warning, much to the surprise of even his outside ally, the BJP.
The turmoil on the streets, and the government being defeated in Parliament on this, was at the top of everyone’s minds. The Congress and the BJP joined hands to defeat the government, which was in hindsight, a Pyrrhic victory, since OBC rights and quotas were subsequently supported by every party.
The very importance of the OBC in the scheme of things was used by the patriarchal mindsets within the leadership the OBC to stymie every attempt to have the bill passed in Parliament. OBC leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Shard Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav, the greatest beneficiaries of this churning. They were the ones who fiercely opposed reservation for women unless it involved a separate quota for women within it.
Women’s Reservation Bill
The bill was first introduced in Parliament in September 1996, and opposed even by the likes of Nitish Kumar. It was introduced again in 1998, 1999 and 2002. All failed after much hue and cry in Parliament. Finally, the Rajya Sabha passed it in 2010, where it was presented there by the then UPA government.
However, since then it has lapsed, as the UPA never brought it to the Lok Sabha for a vote, and neither has the NDA government since 2014.
To give them both the benefit of the doubt, one could say it was not for lack of will, but because seasoned politicians in their midst knew it would again be torn up by the opposing patriarchs who bring out all their muscle and lung power on the floor of Parliament to do so.
When one group is in power, predictably, the opposing group taunts and challenges it to table the Bill, trying to score points in what is now a mere shadow-boxing exercise. In the meantime, women wait at the gates for someone to lay out the red carpet for them. It is a battle that can be fought and won if done so effectively, but the mobilisation of fire power has been inadequate, as is their understanding of the real world of politics. Luckily for some, time has not stood still.
With or without reservation, panchayats are increasingly brimming with activity and enthusiasm, as simple rural women from all parts of the country realise their strength.
In conferences organised to share their experiences, these women speak of their success in building schools, roads, small bridges and above all, toilets under the Swachh Bharat program. It has given them the impetus to demand drug and liquor-free environments, resulting in a better atmosphere at home.
No Point in Shadow Boxing
Unfortunately, as Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav once said, “Panchayats are alright for women because they are not involved in making laws – Parliament is another matter.” Apart from implying that women are unfit for law-making, it also indicates that women are only fit for slightly extended house-keeping activities.
Among strong arguments I have personally faced in debates are: “Islam does not permit it. I will not allow my religion to be spoiled by Parliament”; “Upper-caste women will increase in numbers inside Parliament through the wives of upper-caste men coming in”, and “Unless there is a quota within a quota for OBC women, it will not be allowed to pass” (extended by those demanding this for Muslim women as well).
One never stops to think that the only natural difference among homo sapiens is their sex assigned at birth – the rest, including caste, religion, and race, are self-serving, man-made, false divisions.
Ultimately, there is no point in shadow boxing, and engaging in false debates and divisions. Women must wake up to the fact that this will continue while they just stand and wait. If they look at the reality around, the present government has some very important and prominent portfolios given to women who have constantly demonstrated their capability – Nirmala Sitharaman, Sushma Swaraj, Smriti Irani, among others.
Men Not Ready to Share Power With Women
The silent but effective message has not been lost on anyone. Leadership in other states and parties have not been added here, but are important. But the sad flip side is that none of these women visibly speak up in favour of other women when they get busy with their portfolios.
There is a larger message to be noted as well. That these women have achieved their positions by engaging actively in politics and demonstrated their abilities. They have not launched tirades from NGO platforms or avoided associating directly with political parties which are often considered sullied domains.
Even Kiran Bedi, who attacked politicians from the Anna Hazare platform, soon capitulated and joined the BJP to fight elections, and eventually got herself a governorship. To expect to be propelled easily into Parliament just because some reserved seats open up, is a dream. The seats will be made available to women who have engaged actively with political parties. There is no shortage of them. It is just that there has been no space. Men are simply not willing to give up an inch of power.
Neither has the Congress nor other parties across the board made positions of authority and responsibility available in their top bodies, in a show of ‘walking the talk’, irrespective of the party leader being a woman.
What then is the demand, but a pathetic show of shadow-boxing and empty challenges, in which women’s aspirations are strangled by the ropes of patriarchal caste interests.
Women have to realise this reality, and take the plunge – to prove their worth, and fight their battles inside political parties. In other words, get out of the waiting room and jump onto the train.
(The author is a social activist and former president of the Samata Party, a coalition partner in the NDA-I government. She tweets @Jayajaitly. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)
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