The upcoming Lok Sabha elections appeared to have an interesting start early February this year, when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee upped her rhetoric against the Centre, first through her dharna (in her home state), following it up with a massive rally in the Capital, which was well covered by all sections of the media.
Although the move, she cites, was in reaction to the Centre’s ‘personal’ use of the country’s investigative agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to further the ruling party’s political agenda, one couldn’t help but notice how this act of protest managed to draw support from an undivided Opposition as well. The move prompted political pundits to predict that the All India Trinamool Congress founder may soon be on her way to the Prime Minister’s office next year, if she played her cards well.
Like Mamata Banerjee, the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Mayawati too, is considered to be a formidable political strength in the Hindi heartland.
Both strong political leaders with tons of election experience behind them, Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati are known to run their own parties and their cadre with a certain amount of tact and discipline.
Interestingly, both TMC and BSP led by these two strong women do not have women wings like other political parties. This spoils the notion that women wings alone provide a platform for women party workers to enter mainstream politics.
Fact is, both Mamata and Mayawati are treading the harsh political waters on their own strength, and are examples for aspiring women in politics to follow.
Few women leaders
A decade ago during a study undertaken to understand the role of women workers in women wings of political parties, I was confronted with women complaining that not much is being done to encourage the participation of women in politics. The findings of the study, an interview of over 500 women from different political parties in Mumbai published in the form of a paper Evolving Role of Women in Political Parties – A Perspective had women politicians complaining that even within political parties, women are rarely found in leadership positions.
Many had also pointed out then that women continued to be fielded from ‘losing constituencies’, unlike their male counterparts who were given prestigious constituencies, and that a majority of women gaining access to political life was also due to support or contacts from their family already in or with access to politics. Many women individually confessed that they did feel nervous while surrounded by men whenever discussing any concrete social issues, and refrained from arguing for two reasons — lack of political geographic knowledge, and the inability to handle large and unruly crowds which most men are at ease with.
Most women also agreed on the point that inspite of having illustrious men and women leaders in their parties they felt left out merely because of their own inability to make their higher ups understand their point of view. The vast class differences existing between a leader and his/her grassroots worker, leaves the latter at the lowest rung of the political ladder for the rest of her life.
Most women had in fact no idea of what their role and contribution for the overall women in the society in general should be simply because none of the political parties or the male and women political leaders conducted meetings or interacted with them to generate any favourable ideas for women empowerment.
While women between the ages of 24 and 28 years did show interest in joining mainstream politics, many often gave up post marriage due to family responsibilities, or due to disillusionment after scrutinising the party inside out.
The prime age at which independent women were drawn to political participation was between the ages of 32 and 40 years, in both cases though, not voluntarily, but at the instance of a family or a friend and only after having given considerable time to the upbringing of their young family.
Women from upper-middle class in urban cities generally preferred to stay away from politics as they claimed they had better career opportunities and more lucrative options outside of politics, to choose from. The endless wait for that big break to come in politics, was therefore not their choice. Dynastic dominance too was a major factor for independent women not desiring a political career. Many national parties like the Congress and the BJP were controlled by strong dynastic families, and breaking into their circle of confidantes would take years for a new entrant, admitted many women.
Many admitted that for women with almost no political connections to make a mark on their own merit within the party structure or outside it, took up a considerable amount of time and energy. Many women admitted that they were forced to toe the party line as independent ideas were often rejected for safer options.
Not in touch with ground realities?
Although a decade later, things seem to have changed a bit. A lot more women are opting for politics, and thanks to the Internet, many of them are posting their opinions and work on social media sites.
Yet, one fact which cannot be ignored is that while a majority of them are still working hard to be in leadership positions, they continue to be disconnected with ground issues. Trafficking of young girls, women being forced into prostitution, child marriage, single parenting, sexual harassment, and women being underpaid are issues not many women politicians want to talk or fight for. Their lack of knowledge about these social issues, policies and geography of caste and religion that dominate the vast Indian political landscape, is another story in itself. Devoid of power to make decisions, they end up playing second fiddle to their political masters.
Political analyst Nadeem Nusrath believes that regional women leaders do not have women wings, because being confined to a particular state it doesn’t make sense to have a plethora of central organisations. But for national political parties like Congress or BJP, it is politically wise to have a plethora of frontal organisations to reach out far and wide to all sections of people and accommodate them.
“However, it finally boils down to how women leaders ultimately redeem themselves by charting a political narrative. And they are very few in number. A Smriti Irani could do it. Priya Dutt after inheriting a rich political legacy of her father and being empowered as Mahila Congress in-charge and All Indian Congress Committee’s (AICC) media in-charge, confessed that she is not cut out for politics. So in that sense, it is not about having a women`s wing in a party, but more to do with having women who are able to make a difference through their tenacity, intelligence, and understanding of socio- political and economic issues of the day”, he sums up.
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Mamta Chitnis Sen
A journalist for over two decades, Mamta Chitnis Sen has worked with reputed publications, reporting on crime, politics, religion, art, community, human interest, and general news. She was Executive Editor of Dignity Dialogue, and presently handles media advocacy for Child Rights and You (CRY) – an NGO working for the rights of underprivileged children in India. Mamta is also an artist, and has exhibited her works in India and abroad. [/column]