Women representation in Indian politics have always been an unanswered question. Why would the political parties answer such ‘minor’ questions, when they can’t even seem to keep a proper stand on their party ideologies?
Though India is not on good terms with China in the border regions, the Great Wall of China can be surely utilized to explain the gap in representation of men and women in Indian parliament. We surely have come a long way from the time of the establishment of democracy in India. Yet, why do we see very less women standing as ministers or MPs or the country as a whole? Check the history of India and all that we get is a few notable women leaders who dared to stand in the male dominated arena. Take for example Indira Gandhi, the first and to date, only female prime minister. She was made to stand for the position only due to her ties, i.e her father being Jawaharlal Nehru. Congress had tactics. Emotional tactics to pull in votes. The only intention of the party was to gain votes using her name and the so called glorification that they were the first party to send forth a woman up to the front. The then leader of the congress party was truly disappointed when she turned out to be a warrior indeed, instead of the puppet that he created. Her leadership qualities ultimately lead to a fury within the party as a few couldn’t accept her point of view.
Though more and more woman has come up in the Indian Parliament afterwards, what’s important here is why. What was the intention of the parties in sending a woman up to the front? Male power and biceps are screaming to me the intention was never right. There may have been a few good men who truly trusted the capabilities of women. Yet majority had other intentions, let me call it evil. With the coming of women rights, representation of their identities and the call for equality, parties who had no female candidates stood at a major loss. For all they care about, they had to somehow get woman candidates. Since reservation of seats in parliament for woman came up, Parties started taking up woman to represent their party and to grasp the audience attention. Once the moment of victory arrives, the curtain closes. While the audience wait for the grand arrival of a female leader, the puppeteer takes hold of his female puppet and use it accordingly. This case has been and is still happening in almost all parts of India.
While checking some facts, I came across this article which stated that India stands 149th out of 193 countries in terms of its woman representation in parliaments and other political bodies. Fun fact, India can much easily become first from the last at its rate of male dominance and useless patriarchy. Among women, only cis women stand better chances. They are the woman who has been able to, after years of struggle, to reach at least the starting point. Trans woman still haven’t been able to find the starting point of the race.
I have heard several say that women are not capable enough of being a leader. Why? They can’t work under such public pressure, not qualified enough or most common one being they take decisions based on their emotions. If I rightly believe, one condition that every Indian girl is born with is that they are under constant pressure. The pressure to be the ideal one. The pressure to be liked by all. There is so much pressure out there in the society that is kept on a girl’s head. If that same girl is right now walking with her head held high despite the pressure, she sure is capable of being a leader. Qualifications is really a matter of joke. How many male ministers can dare to present their educational qualifications in front of the public? Majority top business firms nowadays have realized and they prefer women as the head due to their emotional management capabilities. If there is a gender who has been made to function within different kinds of pressure at the same time, it is WOMEN.
Male leaders, please pack up your ego and shift to one side. No one is talking about female dominance. It is equality that is required. Equal distribution of power between all genders should become the core of not only the working of democracy, but within ourselves too. Bring in laws, amend a few, yet there won’t be any difference. Your individual law book has to change. you as human must find the need to change. Change the laws and ethics that guide you as a human. Let’s eagerly wait for a female pandemic, if that what it takes to bring in some estrogen into the political sphere.