“Robbery Devis”

Now that the dust has settled on the bill “that will immediately take women in to the next century, ensure that indian woman is an equal and effective counterpart etc.”, it is time to take an objective look at what is the issue, what has been achieved so far…

The media is on an overdrive to give credit to Matha Sonia for having pushed this bill through. Now, imagine – in the RS where the opposition is in a majority BJP and Communists gang up and pass the bill and Matha gets the credit ? Every time I feel “OK the media has stooped to its lowest point, the turn around and dig a deeper mess to stoop lower”. Everyone conveniently forgets how the congress connived with the Yadav club, to nuke the bill when the NDA government introduced it in the Lok Sabha.

The bill reserves 33% reservation for a section that is 50% of the population and worse, it will rotate the constituencies every election. I.e. a third of the constituencies for one round, the next third for the next round and so on…. Now, really tell me whether this will achieve anything concrete for women…

1. Stooges will come up: We all know the Rabri Devi episode in Bihar. Similarly, if I am a senior leader in my constituency and if it is reserved for women, what will I do? Yes, I will get my wife or daughter to contest and keep the seat warm…
2. Short term attitude: Now, having won this way as the rep, I know that next time around this constituency will go back to my husband/FIL etc. So, what long term planning I will do about this constituency ? zilch. I have perfect motivation to be a “Robbery Devi” during my 5 years.
3. No change in power centres: No reservation for RS. So, the so called leaders will park themselves for one term in the RS -- continue their ministerships, bungalows etc. and nothing else will change really.

The problem is that the political system is blocking women from coming up. Instead of fixing that, this bill just applies lipstick on a pig’s lip and calls it beautiful.

The right and logical thing to do will be ask all recognized political parties to commit to 50% of candidates as women, if you fail to do you will lose recognition and be barred from contesting again. This will ensure that parties are conscious of this need. Similarly mandate Female wing of the party as a necessity with Party politburo etc. required to have 50% membership as women. If there are other constraints like sc/st/obc etc. then a woman candidate from these sections will count towards both the quotas. I.e. dalit woman should count as having met the party’s quoto for both categories…

This alone will throw up real leaders from women. This bill will get only “Robbery Devis”.