Partners in Politics, Competing in Crime Fallouts of Women’S Reservations in Maharashtra (Part I) Medha Nanivadekar
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Partners in Politics, Competing in Crime Fallouts of Women’s Reservations in Maharashtra (Part I) Medha Nanivadekar his article examines the impact of sudden implementation of the women’s reservation policy at the Zilla Parishads, or mid-tier district level institutions of governance. The article confines Titself to the study of a select few zilla parishads in institutions of governance in Maharashtra. The policy of reservation automatically reserves a certain portion of these seats for women throughout the State Government. As the author explains below, the results of this reservation policy have been mixed. On the one hand, women have indeed received some political and social gains that brought about some increase in their participation in the government. On the other hand, the rampant corruption and abuse of the system have limited the genuine women activists from participation in local electoral politics. The Seventy-Third and Seventy- politicians at the local level who have Fourth amendments of the Indian A nationwide discussion been adversely impacted by the Constitution enacted in 1992 provided on this historic move was reservation policy say with glee: “Let for the reservation of one-third of the not initiated before there be reservation for women in the seats in rural and urban self- implementing the Assemblies and Lok Sabha as well. MPs and MLAs have thrust this government institutions for women in reservation policy. village panchayats and zilla parishads reservation upon us. Then they will with the result that the gates of the learn a lesson! They will find out where local political arena were suddenly smooth passage of reservation the shoe pinches. Serves them right!”1 thrown wide-open to them. As many provisions in local bodies on the one It was expected in many quarters as one million women got an hand, and the totally uncertain fate of that if women entered politics in large opportunity to enter these institutions reservation in state legislatures and numbers, they would change the as members, and some of them, as Lok Sabha on the other, was that the entire texture of present day politics office bearers. Many more former was initiated from the very top and bring different values, participated in elections and still more by Rajiv Gandhi. Most legislators preferences and perspectives into the as campaigners. This changed the ended up voting for it without much political arena. It was assumed that landscape of the local political elite thought or debate because it posed women’s presence in decision- drastically. no direct threat to the interests of the making positions would lead to the Unfortunately, a nationwide Members of Parliament (MPs) and elimination of discrimination against discussion on this historic move was Members of Legislative Assemblies women, and that women’s issues not initiated before implementing the (MLAs). For this reason, many male would begin to find high priority on policy. Nor did the political parties the agenda of political parties. But discuss this issue in their party fora. One possible explanation there was no minimum consensus Therefore, the rank and file of every for the smooth passage regarding what was expected from the party was taken by surprise when 33 of reservation provisions reservation policy and from those percent reservations became law. As women elected through the reserved a result, discrepancies existed in local bodies... is that seats. Some believed that women between the official position adopted the former was initiated would rid politics of corruption, while by major political parties and the actual from the very top by others felt that it would only attitude of their members at all levels. Rajiv Gandhi. “feminise” corruption. This paper One possible explanation for the examines relevant developments in the No.136 9 state of Maharashtra and analyses the results of the reservation policy. The Government of Maharashtra introduced 30 percent reservation for women in local bodies in 1990. The 30 percent quota was increased to 33 percent after the Seventy-Third and Seventy-Fourth Constitutional Amendments. At this time, the third group of women elected from women- reserved constituencies is about to complete its term.1 Creation of a Vacuum It is noteworthy that the proposal to reserve seats for women did not emanate from women’s organisations. Consequently, none of the A typical election meeting−one lone woman on the dias. contemporary women’s organisations had ever carried out mass mobilisation major political parties for my doctoral of women on this issue prior to this All political parties are work, before there was even a hint enactment of law. As a result, although obsessed with the regarding reservations for women. At reservation was originally intended to numbers game...This has that time, the respondents were equally create space for women, instead it led to the elimination of divided over the issue; half of them created a vacuum that sucked in all many genuine activists opposed it and the other half supported the women standing on the fringes of it, but none of them demanded it. the political arena. Some of those and in its stead brought However, once the policy was indeed elected were political activists in their inactive women relatives adopted by the Government of own right, but the majority of winners of male politicians to the Maharashtra in 1990, it suddenly have been close relatives of male forefront. became politically incorrect to oppose politicians, mostly sitting members of these reservations. Yet there was no the local bodies. These male filled by ‘proxy’ women. In all three consensus or sufficient awareness politicians shrewdly and promptly elections held in Maharashtra after the among women corporators elected pushed forward their female relatives, reservations, the number of proxies members, of Municipal Corporation usually their wives, to fill the vacuum. elected were greater than number of about the principles underlying this Thus emerged a new phenomenon of victorious activists throughout the policy. women as “proxy politicians.” State. It is significant that as many as 50 All political parties are obsessed Until 1990, no clear consensus percent of the respondents agreed with with the numbers game since winning existed even among women politicians one of the statements in my a majority is the crucial pre-requisite themselves regarding the issue of questionnaire that a woman corporator to acquiring control over the reservations. In 1989, I interviewed should accord greater priority to her government machinery at any level. over 150 political activists from all role as a housewife rather than to her The winnability of a candidate is often role as a corporator. Only 15 percent the sole criterion for the selection of 50 percent of the disagreed with this statement, while 35 party candidates. This has led to the respondents [felt]...that a percent respondents chose to remain elimination of many genuine activists woman corporator should silent on this issue. and in its stead brought inactive accord greater priority to Proxies in Majority women relatives of male politicians to her role as a housewife, The presence of ‘proxies’ in the forefront. Wherever there was no rather than to her role as Municipal Corporations is a state-wide prominent woman activist, the a corporator. phenomenon. Their percentage differs vacuum created by the reservation was from one city to another depending 10 MANUSHI upon the degree of social and political husbands took care of the participation of women in any given Many continued with responsibilities as corporators while city. I surveyed about 300 corporators their pre-election life they took care of the home. For those and found that the percentage of pattern whereby their women who were political activists ‘proxies’ was as high as 80 percent in husbands took care of before getting elected, the additional the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation, the responsibilities as role of a municipal corporator was yet even after the second election. Cities corporators while they another heavy responsibility. In some like Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, which cases, male members of the household took care of the home. have a relatively longer tradition of started sharing domestic women participating in public life, have responsibilities. In most cases, women the smooth discharge of their duties. a lower percentage of proxies as simply shouldered the additional Some of the women also expressed the compared to Kolhapur, which has few burden on their own. fear that municipal administrators female political figures who act in their A woman corporator from would not take them seriously and own right. Kolhapur narrated with great pride how therefore it would be very difficult for Eleven out of the 15 women who she decided to contest an election. She them to get work done without the participated in a Focus Group claimed she contested “due to popular mediation of their husbands or male Discussion at Kolhapur Municipal pressure.” Her husband was the relatives. However, not all women Corporation admitted that they entered previous corporator for two thought this way. the political arena merely because the consecutive terms. In 1995, when that constituency nursed by their Meeting New Expectations constituency became reserved for husbands became reserved for women. With regards to the role of new women, people from the None of them had any prior women corporators within their neighbourhood came to see her and involvement in any social or political families, the women claimed that their requested her to compete. She activity. All of them admitted that they entry into elected positions did not admitted how people of her had never even dreamt of entering significantly alter their domestic lives. constituency said it clearly: “We know political life; the reservation of their They continued to perform all the that even if you get elected, your husband’s constituency for women duties that are expected of a full time husband would continue to work as was the only factor responsible for housewife.