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SHG Women: Leading a Political Uprising

MEHMOOD HASAN, BANDANA DEVI AND MADHAVESH KUMAR

Getting a foothold into the existing male-dominated Panchayati Raj Institutions seemed a Herculean task for the women of the SHGs—a challenge they took up with zest and determination, leading to their victory and the beginnings of change

The active participation of the Self Help Group (SHG) women in the November 2015 Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) elections in Poraiyahat block of Jharkhand’s Godda district was something remarkable. From the selection of the best persons to be the mukhiya or members of the Panchayat Samiti or Ward Members of their panchayat to going with them to file the nominations to campaigning for the candidates, these women extended their active participation.

Due to their efforts, one jila parishad member, five panchayat mukhiyas, seven Panchayat Samiti members and 72 Ward Members, who won the elections, were SHG members. They also helped many others, who were not from the SHG, but could play, according to the SHG members, a pivotal role as PRI representatives.

In some instances, the SHG women won the election unopposed. The reason for such enthusiasm among the women and their involvement is a long one, and the journey towards this change has not been an easy one. The Ekta Mahila Vikas Manch (EMVM) Poraiyahat is a block-level women’s SHG Federation. It came into existence on 23 January 2005, with a total SHG membership of 2,685 spread over 196 SHGs. Poraiyahat is a very big block. There are 31 panchayats, comprising 197 villages. There are 37,594 families and the total population of the block is 1,87,989. At the time of the PRI elections in 2015, EMVM Poraiyahat had 13,745 rural women members from 1007 SHGs.

The SHG women, associated with EMVM Poraiyahat, had discussed their problems with PRI representatives. These discussions took place at different levels such as in SHG meetings, in Village Organization (VO) meetings and in Federation meetings. They were somewhat dissatisfied that PRI representatives neglected their issues.

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Whenever they approached The problems that the The problems that the the mukhiya or the Panchayat common people faced with PRI common people faced Samiti member, their issues were representatives became one with PRI representatives not addressed. Sometimes, PRI of the reasons for the active became one of the representatives did not show participation of SHG women in reasons for the active any respect to the collectives, the elections. participation of SHG whether it was the SHG, the women in the elections VO or the block-level SHG The participation of SHG women Federation. When the women asked the PRI also increased because of their collectives. representatives to attend their meetings so After interacting with other SHGs and that they could tell them of their problems, the becoming more aware through discussions and PRI representatives rarely came. Sometimes, training, members became more aware and when the SHG women went to meet their PRI developed greater understanding about the representatives, they were not heard out. PRI and what could be done through it. The PRI was always on the agenda of discussions The PRI representatives were involved in in their meetings. And the women took steps many cases of corruption. The mukhiya of one to strengthen the PRI by participating in gram panchayat openly accepted in a VO meeting sabha meetings. They also went to meet that he charged Rs 3,000 for every Indira the PRI representatives. They asked the PRI Awas Yojna Scheme. He justified it by saying representatives to attend the meetings of their that since the government didn’t give any collectives. Sometimes, they stood against their transport allowance for travelling from one PRI representatives, and there were times they area to another, he charged the amount from supported them. Since their bitter experiences every beneficiary for meeting these expenses. with PRI representatives far outweighed their In another case, a mukhiya asked for Rs 200 positive experiences, they were motivated to to make an identity card of a villager. The bring about a change in the local political set- villager wanted to open a savings account in up. the bank, for which she needed two identity cards. The bankers in Godda district have Getting elected to the PRI was the first step allowed the mukhiyas to issue identity cards for entering the arena of politics for many for opening savings bank accounts. Many PRI SHG women. And the women’s collectives representatives, especially mukhiyas, shifted were there to help them win. The SHG women to Poraiyahat—the block headquarters, or wanted to bring change in their villages and Godda—the district headquarters. Because of in their panchayats. For that they wanted to these shifts, they became inaccessible to the contest the elections. common people. Here’s the story of how this uprising happened. Very few PRI representatives have earned respect because of their work. The mukhiya THE PRI WORKSHOP of Baksara panchayat, Hemant Kumar, is one PRADAN’S work at the grass roots brought such. He did extensive work in his panchayat great clarity that it was important to focus on and because of that he was elected again, and the empowerment of the poor rural women this time with more votes. so that they could contribute to increasing the household income, and also participate

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in the governance system of a permanent body, of which any Most villagers are not the family, society and village. person, 18 years or above, can aware of the power of When talking of the governance be a member; it is her/his right the gram sabha and system, the emphasis here is to participate in each and every the people’s role and specifically on providing the process of the gram sabha. responsibility in making it space for women to be part Every decision, be it passing the strong and functional of the decision-making in any Village Development Plan or forum, which directly or indirectly influences implementation of government schemes, can their life, for instance, family, jati panchayats only be passed with the consensus of the gram and the local governance system. sabha.

With this broader objective, PRADAN But the real scenario is different from what organized a two-day workshop on ‘Preparation has been envisaged in our law. Most villagers for influencing PRI elections for better local are not aware of the power of the gram sabha self-governance’ at Ranchi on the 27 and 28 and the people’s role and responsibility in September 2015. The main objective of the making it strong and functional. The workshop workshop was to motivate women’s collectives discussed the probable reasons for this. One to influence the panchayati raj elections of reason was that, perhaps, the villagers did not Jharkhand, to be held in November 2015, consider the gram sabha to be an important through imparting knowledge on the workings body or a place where they could exercise their of the PRI. rights. Instead, they handed over their power to the elected panchayat representatives as SHG members from different parts of well as to panchayat officials. In most places, Jharkhand were invited. Four members—Anita the process of organizing the gram sabha Devi, Bitiya Hembram, Poonam Devi and and informing people about it is neglected Namita Kisku, from the EMVM Poraiyahat because of which these people remain outside also participated in the workshop. Ajit Singh in the decision-making process. Many of the from State Institute of Rural Development, schemes and plans, therefore, get sanctioned Jharkhand, and Gurjeet Singh, an independent in the presence of a few so-called powerful consultant, were the resource persons. and influential people of the village.

The workshop began with an inspiring The innocent women and men of these presentation by Ajit Singh on the gram sabha. villages are being made to sign or put their In this session, the stress was on making thumb impression on a blank register. This is women aware of the importance of the gram only on paper. The set-up, therefore, is being sabha for the people. The gram sabha, he dominated by a few, powerful persons along said, was the most powerful body in the local with a few PRI representatives, who have self-governance system, as envisaged in our become the main decision-makers. Ajit Singh Constitution. But our experience is that this also shared that usually the villagers go to the has not been recognized in our rural society gram sabha without any preparation of plans fully. It has been seen that this powerful and hardly ever participate in the discussions; structure of local governance has always been the plans passed then far exceed the allocated by-passed and the Vidhaan Sabha and the Lok budget, which leads to chaos among the Sabha have always been what people have villagers, and a few people take advantage of looked to for development. The gram sabha is the situation, The chaos also provides them

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with a reason for not involving the villagers in total members, of which one-third should be the process. women.

The need of the hour, then, is to make the Based on five years of experience, the people aware how this democratic set up resource persons shared that women have functions and the power of the gram sabha, claimed a significant amount of space in local without which it will not be possible to draft a self-governance, covering 54 per cent of developmental discourse of the area in favour the seats at all levels such as the panchayat, of the people. Stressing on the importance the Panchayat Samiti and the jila parishad. of spreading awareness among the people Panchayat buildings are also being constructed regarding the gram sabha, Ajit Singh raised in villages, thus, increasing infrastructural some questions, “In a democracy, whose development, leading people to acknowledge responsibility is it to think of development? that PRIs exist. Is giving a vote and electing representatives our only responsibility? After being elected as There is always some failure behind any the people’s representative, should one think success. PRI was developed but the power/ only about fulfilling one’s own aspirations, provisions for it to function smoothly have forgetting all the promises made to the people not been given to the extent needed by this when asking for votes?” Above all, he raised institution. For instance, panchayat offices another question, “Which is the better option: are under-staffed and funding is less than only 543 MPs (Members of Parliament) required. The areas where corruption can deciding the welfare of more than 100 crore occur have increased as has the impact of people or all the people participating in this middlemen. Earlier, people had to approach process?” the block or the district to avail of any rights or entitlements. Now, there is an additional The whole audience responded in favour of layer, the panchayat. In the rural areas, it is people’s participation. And for this, there is no observed that even though the gap between other way than to create awareness about the the common people and the government has gram sabha and its power was his conclusion. decreased, they still have to pass through middlemen to access their entitlements. For creating awareness about the gram sabha, Women have created a space for themselves it is important to know its technicalities. Some in the system but the key has remained in the of the key points discussed around it by the hands of their husbands. resource persons were: in a revenue village, any resident, who is more than 18 years old Gurjeet Singh, another resource person, and has her/his name in the panchayat voter compared the present-day panchayat with a list, is a member of the gram sabha; the gram bus. The bus symbolizes a panchayat and the sabha should meet at least four times a year; mukhiya is its driver, who takes to the wheel a gram sabha should be announced within without deciding where to go. The members three months of the previous gram sabha; in a of the gram sabha are the passengers, who non-PESA (Panchayats Extension to Schedule are asleep. They are not even aware of the Areas) area, for fulfilling the quorum, one- direction in which the bus is moving. Even if tenth of the members of gram sabha should the driver is going in the wrong direction, the be present, of which one-third should be passengers are unaware of it. A bus needs four women; in a PESA area, it is one-third of the tyres to move; in the present system, there

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are less than that, that is, the presented in the workshop by After attending the two- panchayat is under-staffed. So the resource persons. day workshop, members with less than four tyres, how of EMVM, Poraiyahat, can the ‘bus’, or the panchayat came back energized AFTER THE WORKSHOP here, move. The bus is not and motivated to do After attending the two- being given adequate fuel by something collectively in day workshop, members of the government; thus, it cannot their area EMVM, Poraiyahat, came back move properly: inadequate energized and motivated to do funding, inadequate development. This simple something collectively in their area. First, they and clear analogy by Gurjeet Singh helped the shared the entire experience of the workshop participants relate it with the present situation with the Federation members, comprising one of the PRI and realize where the gap lay. representative from each panchayat. Together, The discussion then moved to the role of the they decided to hold meetings at different women’s collectives and how the forthcoming panchayats, the dates of which were finalized. panchayat elections could be influenced to The agenda for discussions in panchayat-level ensure that a proper representative is elected meetings was as follows: for the people. Some of the points for action ŠŠ What is a panchayat and what is a gram that came up were: that the collectives should sabha? select one candidate unanimously at the Ward ŠŠ What is our experience of the last five level. This would be without a contest so years—what has been our expectation that there would be no bitter feelings among the villagers because no one would be in from our representatives and what has competition with each other. The fundamental been met and what has not been met? basis of this selection will be that the ‘candidate ŠŠ How do we want our next representatives should be one whom the people want and not to be? What should be done so that we one who wants to contest by herself/himself’. can have a proper representative of the The SHG women, along with other villagers, panchayat for the coming five years? were to take a collective decision as to who they wanted to be their representative for the ŠŠ Choosing the candidate for contesting the coming five years. They would also bear the election collectively. election expenses collectively. This process will Besides this, the Federation also came up with create pressure on the candidate to perform an election manifesto, in which they envisaged better because she/he would have been their panchayats as an ideal place for the nominated collectively by the villagers. The villagers—men and women. The main points collectives could also come up with an election were: manifesto, mentioning how the villagers envisaged their panchayat and panchayat ŠŠ Regular meetings of the gram sabha to be representatives to be before the candidates held in the panchayat. started their campaigns. Also necessary was ŠŠ Information to be provided about the gram to parallely by create awareness among the sabha to all the villagers. people about the gram sabha. The process of filing nominations, the criteria of the candidate ŠŠ Doors of the panchayat to be open for to contest elections, the fee for different women and the poor of the village. candidates and their expense limits were also

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ŠŠ The mukhiya to behave however, SHG women helped The opponents tried to their selected candidate and properly with women and suppress the candidates made sure that they stood by the poor. by muscle power, by her. ŠŠ The mukhiya should be a offerings of money, and even by using socio- person with a long-term The SHG women went in religious dogmas to vision for the panchayat. large numbers with their restrict the candidates ŠŠ She/he should have an selected candidates for filing from contesting the the nomination, to show their attitude to work for the election. At every point, strength. Similarly, they stayed people with evidence that however, SHG women with the candidate during she/he has done something helped their selected door-to-door campaigns, when in past for the village and its candidate and made sure conducting the chunaavi sabhas, people. that they stood by her participating in rallies, etc. They ŠŠ She/he should not be were also with their candidate on the day of the corrupt. election, at the booths, to ensure a free-and- fair election. They were with their candidate The Federation representatives then made six on the day of counting. The collectives not teams, with two Federation representatives in only took on the responsibility of the selection each team. They started to conduct panchayat- of the candidate but also ensured that she level meetings with SHG representatives, wins the election. focusing on the panchayat election. They interacted with SHG representatives at least TARKHUTTA PANCHAYAT once and, when necessary, twice. Although they faced resistance from the influential On 18 September 2015, a meeting of the people of the village, they did not lose their panchayat women was organized in Tarkhutta focus. They were finally able to influence village of Tarkhutta panchayat. Every SHG collectives to identify a candidate they wanted member of all the SHGs of this panchayat as their representative rather than voting for participated in this meeting. The topic of a candidate, who was contesting on her/his discussion in this meeting was: who should we own. elect as our panchayat representative? Some names such as Jayanti Devi and Poonam Devi came up for the position of mukhiya, but there PREPARATION FOR THE UPRISING was no finalization of candidate. Once the collectives were able to select a candidate of their choice for elections to the The women met again later in the day to PRI, they helped candidates at each and every finalize the name of the mukhiya candidate stage, right from nomination to campaigning from among SHG members. The same names to the day of the election. They faced many Jayanti Devi and Poonam Devi came for the challenges, which they handled successfully. post of the mukhiya; however, some of the For example, the opponents tried to suppress members did not agree to Jayanti Devi as the the candidates by muscle power, by offerings candidate. Jayanti Devi was around 55 years of money, and even by using socio-religious and was illiterate. On the other hand, Poonam dogmas to restrict the candidates from was young, in her 20s, and had studied till contesting the election. At every point, class 12.

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Keeping in mind all these aspects, and was collecting money for It was decided that all Poonam Devi was selected as election expenses. the SHG women would the mukhiya candidate from the go for the nomination. Tarkhutta panchayat’s women They decided to meet NOMINATION DAY SHGs. Poonam was surprised at the block where the Nomination day was 29 October by this decision. She was not nomination had to be 2015. The SHG women were able to understand what to do— filed. Almost 500 women tense about how to file the whether to go for it or not. She reached the block. The nomination for the election did not give her acceptance in people were surprised because they had never been the same meeting. She discussed and the opposition through such a process earlier. the selection with her family was nervous seeing so Again, they sat together and members later. They were not many women discussed it. It was decided that in favour of this decision. Their all the SHG women would go main reason for rejection was the money. for the nomination. They decided to meet at On 25 October, another meeting was the block where the nomination had to be organized in which the family members of filed. Almost 500 women reached the block. Poonam Devi also participated. They shared The people were surprised and the opposition the cause of their inability to contest the was nervous seeing so many women. election. This time, Lata Devi, from EMVM and Poonam Devi filed the nomination paper for the representatives from the SHGs of Tarkhutta the position of mukhiya. After she filed the panchayat were also present at the meeting. papers, the women raised slogans: Poonam The SHG representatives, initially, were of the Devi, Zindabad, Zindabad Zindabad! Mahila view that they would not spend even a single Mandal, Zindabad, Zindabad, Zindabad! Hum rupee in the election. This election would be sab ne thana hai, Poonam ko jitana hai! contested by Poonam free of cost. But later on, they realized that some money would be CAMPAIGNING required, at least for printing the banners and Poonam started campaigning with Jayanti the pamphlets. Devi, Shanti Murmu, Sangita Devi and Paarvati Devi. During the day, they organized meetings All the SHG representatives decided that they in various hamlets of the villages and in the would contribute Rs 200 per SHG for funding mornings and evenings, they went from door- the election expenses. Poonam Devi’s family then gave their consent. The SHG members, to-door to meet people. They also organized then, took an oath to help Poonam to contest rallies. One day, the SHG women organized in the election. She took an oath that if she a rally on cycles. Every day, they campaigned were to win, she would work for the people in one form or the other. People raised many honestly. A committee of eight members, questions such as, “Poonam is a woman; if we comprising Nootan Devi, Jayanti Devi, Sangita need her in the night for some emergency, will Devi, Shanti Devi, Shanti Murmu, Paarvati she come to help us when she is mukhiya? She Devi, Jhuma Devi and Tilotma Devi was is a new daughter-in-law of the village, what formed to make all the SHG members aware will she be able to do? Her husband is illiterate. that Poonam Devi was going to contest the Many became mukhiya earlier too, none of panchayat election for the post of the mukhiya them did anything. What will she do for us?”

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She heard these questions and Poonam. In the same meeting, She heard these questions apprehensions, and responded the woman also discussed that and apprehensions, and to each one animatedly. She the contribution of Rs 200 per responded to each one said, “I am an SHG woman too. SHG was insufficient and that animatedly. She said, “I I am one among you. You should the amount should be more. The am an SHG woman too. choose a woman like you, who members decided to contribute I am one among you. can understand you and your Rs 500 per SHG and a total of Rs You should choose a issues. Trust me.” 11,500 was contributed from 23 woman like you, who can SHGs from Tarkhutta panchayat understand you and your As the days passed, the opinion for the election. issues. Trust me.” started to turn in the favour of Poonam. During Chhat Pooja, Poonam THE DAY OF THE ELECTION went to her parents’ family in Kusumi village, Mahagama block. People from the opposition The day of the election, 22nd November started spreading rumours that Poonam was 2015, arrived. On the evening of 20 not going to contest the election and that she November 2015, all the SHG representatives had taken Rs 1.5 lakh for this. And that is why of Tarkhutta panchayat met and divided their she had run away from the village. roles and responsibilities on election day. Four SHG women and two men would be placed When Poonam returned, she started at every booth, to ensure that voters get a campaigning again. At that time the people fair environment to cast their vote freely. raised the question, “You are already sold. For Titiyatanr booth, 14 SHG women took Why should we cast our vote for you?” the responsibility. Titiyatanr booth was the Poonam and her campaigners explained to the most sensitive booth of Tarkhutta panchayat people that these were just rumours that her because the opponent had deployed paid opponent had spread. goons there and nobody wanted to take the responsibility of that booth. The SHG women “If it were true, why would I be here decided to be there in sufficient numbers so campaigning? My opponent is scared of me that nobody would harm them. and he wants me to withdraw my nomination,” she reassured the people. As was expected, when the voting started, the SHG women found some cases of bogus To resolve this issue, another meeting of all voting. They reported it to the officials. In the the SHG women of Tarkhutta panchayat was afternoon, when the villagers were casting organized. This time Shubhadra Devi, President their votes, there was a sudden sound of a of EMVM, herself came and promised all the bomb blast. Somebody told Jayanti Devi that SHG women that Poonam was going to contest her son had died in this bomb blast. She rushed the election and that she had not withdrawn towards Titiyatanr booth. While she was on her candidature. She told the women, “We the way, the goons hired by the opponent hit should not get trapped in this.” her on the head with sticks.

The SHG women promised that they would not Hearing this, the villagers went to save Jayanti. get diverted by such tactics of the opposition. Eight persons were wounded in this violent They promised to cast their vote in favour of clash. The mukhiya candidate, Poonam,

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somehow was safe in all this. The SHG women the opposition did not accept this result. He called the Block Development Officer (BDO), entered the main building where the counting the Superintendent of Police (SP), and the was being done. But Poonam was not allowed Deputy Commissioner (DC) and told them to enter. of the situation there. The DC assured them that the police would certainly reach the spot. Poonam Devi, Lalmuni Devi and Lata Devi went Before the police reached, the goons poured to meet the SP. There too were denied entry. water into the ballot box and hid it. When the BDO of Poraiyahat also refused to meet them, Lata Devi told him, “Chaliye When the police reached, the goons went away. Poraiyahat me aapka ilaj karenge. (Lets go The police tried to find the ballot box but were to Poraiyahat, we will treat you there).” The not able to. The SHG women helped the police women entered the cabin forcibly and asked in the search and the box was found. Voting the BDO and the SP to announce the result. started again, but after this bomb blasts, most Mahadev protested. The BDO of Poraiyahat of the people didn’t turn up to cast their vote. and the SP asked Mahadev what the problem At the same time, it was very difficult to send was. He said he wanted a re-count of votes all the wounded to the hospital. A jila parishad of two booths of Dhobai. The officials agreed candidate helped and the wounded reached to his demand. The votes of these two booths the Poraiyahat Community Health Centre. were again counted. And it was again found that Poonam was six votes ahead of Mahadev. This news was published in the daily newspapers. The environment of Tarkhutta Finally, the result was announced. Both the panchayat was totally disturbed. The goons candidates signed on the declaration and it went every day to the houses of women, was time for celebration. More than 50 SHG who campaigned for the election along with women felicitated Poonam, shouted slogans Poonam. Sometimes, they threw stones and, and played with the colours. It was something sometimes, they abused the women. Sangita that the SHG women themselves had not Devi, the SHG Community Resource Person, expected a few months ago. who campaigned very actively for Poonam, was not even able to come out from her home The SHG women had created history. Poonam because of these goons. was silent because she began to feel responsible to the people. After winning the election, she COUNTING THE VOTES said, “Chahe mujj par kitna bhi dabav kyu na aaye, mein paise se bikne vali nahi hu. Ye Finally, judgment day came. It was time to to manzil ka pehla kadam hai, aage raaste count the votes and to declare the results. lambe hain (No matter how much pressure is The counting of votes started. It was a tough contest for both the candidates. Mahadev on me, I am not going to take money for my Marhaiyya, the other contestant, was two work. This is the first step of our journey and votes ahead all the time. And then, only the the destination is still far away).” She further counting of the last round remained. At the added, “Apni panchayat me keval main hi end of the counting, Poonam Devi was six nahi, sab mukhiya hain (In our panchayat, not votes ahead of Mahadev Marhaiyya. But only I…everyone is a mukhiya).”

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have been sanctioned. She is THE OUTCOME: The efforts of PANCHAYAT ELECTION fully engaged with her official the Federation RESULT work. As mukhiya, she deals representatives brought with government officials and, The efforts of the Federation outstanding results, in since these are initial days, she representatives brought terms of the number of is taking time to understand the outstanding results, in terms the candidates elected. A system and the administrative of the number of candidates total of 86 SHG women functioning. Now, she says elected. A total of 86 SHG were elected for various that she will get in touch with women were elected for various positions in the PRI women collectives and work on positions in the PRI elections of elections of the issues raised by them. November 2015. November 2015

SITUATION AT PRESENT CONCLUSION Poonam Devi is living a new phase of her life as Although 86 SHG women have entered mukhiya. Although there are many challenges the active politics of the local government, along the way, she has done a remarkable time will tell whether they will fulfill the job in these six months. If we go through her expectations of those who have elected them. score card, we will see that she has helped The expectation is that they will bring a positive sanction 48 old-age pension schemes, 25 change and will create some milestones in the widow pension schemes, 13 small and four days to come. We have planned to conduct large ponds under MGNREGA, repaired 40 a workshop with these women in July 2016 hand pumps, and issued 10 new ration cards. so that they understand the whole system in Her panchayat also received Rs 6.5 lakhs for these six months. The system before them is various development projects under the 14th very challenging. How will they respond to Finance Commission, under which two sitting this challenge? Will they be able to change places (chabootara), one meeting hall (sabha the system or will they become the part of the bhavan), two PCC roads, and nine latrines existing system? Only time will tell.

Journey: SHG Women: Leading a Political Uprising