Out of the Zenana Dabba
This article was first published in the print edition of Manushi Journal. (Issue-96, Sep-Oct 1996)
The Prime Minister himself could not make it that day. At a conference organised by the National Commission for Women in the last week of July, a few of us had been asked by the Commission to pose questions to the Prime Minister on his views regarding 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. At the last minute we were informed that the Prime Minister could not keep his commitment and had sent his Minister for Social Welfare, Mr Ramoowalia, as a substitute.
I asked Mr Ramoowalia: “The United Front (UF) government has been rather quick to announce that they will introduce 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and in the state assemblies, along with a 33 percent reservation in government jobs, through an amendment of the constitution. Why is it that the politicians who committed themselves to these measures have done nothing to enhance the participation of womenwithin their respective parties? How can 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies work if there aren’t enough women active in parties, if the parties don’t have enough viable candidates to field? What measures of internal reform were these parties contemplating in order to include women in party decision making and leadership roles?”