While Giriraj Singh’s apology to Sonia Gandhi comes only after him being reportedly “pulled up” by the prime minister himself, the Union HRD minister Smriti Irani has been denied any such gesture altogether.
A woman in politics is fair game when it comes to heaping sexist slur. Ironically, the higher her stature, the more vicious the attacks get.
Giriraj Singh’s reported tears may have washed away his unflattering words but not without discrediting the relentless efforts of the Congress president for the revival of her party. Similarly, Irani is likely to remain at the receiving end of uncharitable remarks which have nothing to do with her capabilities as a Union minister. What an encouraging scenario for the new entrants!
Mahatma Gandhi had declared in 1925, “As long as women of India do not take part in public life, there can be no salvation for the country”. Time and again, political theorists and social scientists have emphasised the importance of women’s political participation by regarding it as “the first and foremost step in the struggle for gender justice”.
It is, therefore, unfortunate to see that the political discourse has stooped down to a level where women politicians, despite their stature, are constantly shamed for their gender. In addition to the opposition leaders and media, their party colleagues are equally guilty of such rampant and blatant sexism as brought to light by a recent piece on Irani.
A lot has been said about the politics of silence in the context of women empowerment, we need to now focus on the silence in politics. An unfortunate paradox in our political environment, while it is a norm to protect offenders in own party and attack the opposition, a pan-Parliament bonhomie is seen when it comes the women-related bills or discussions.
The 108th Constitutional Amendment Bill which proposes 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies is one such instance where Parliament seems divided along the gender lines and not party.
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act (1992) mandated 33 per cent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj. As a consequence, more than one point five million women have been elected/re-elected for various offices till date. In a large democracy like India, participation of people at the lowest level is required. Through 33 per cent reservation, women empowerment at the grass roots level was envisaged.
Panchayati Raj, an important political innovation and a vital conduit of independent India, is a training ground for the promotion of local initiative with a view to increasing people’s political consciousness, awareness of their rights and direct participation in self-rule.
The reservation is known to have brought about a sense of empowerment to women at panchayat level. This is what threatens their male counterparts and thus we come across reports of intimidation and even killings of women sarpanchs and other office bearers.
It is true that in order to "bypass" the reservation policies, often wives/daughters/sisters/mothers are pitched as candidates by politically influential families. What is encouraging to know, however, that many a time such "dummy" candidates come out of their own.
At the national level, Sonia Gandhi is a powerful representative of all such women spread across the country. A sexist, racist jibe therefore diminishes not only her political growth but also of those women who either stepped out of the shadows of their political fathers — literal and figurative — or extended their legacy through untiring labour. Similarly, constant attacks on Irani’s acting background undermine women’s efforts in breaking stereotypes.
Undermining of women politicians who publicly espouse women issues is an even bigger scourge in politics, and not limited to developing countries. With the announcement of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential bid, political sexism is playing to the gallery in the US. Already there is much sanctimony hurled at her for using the “gender card”. Opponents are strategising to stop Clinton from getting the gender advantage as seen in Carly Fiorina’s claim of “offsetting” her. It is interesting to note that despite her stellar record as a lawyer and policy advisor before entering politics, she is still seen as riding on her husband’s political career by some.
From subpoena to presidential sex scandals to Benghazi, Clinton has seen all that it takes to make one a hardened politician. That she is giving primacy to issues pertaining to women and families is being seen as a political blunder by those who wish to unsex the female public figures, and hailed by the champions of gender equality.
Clinton’s 2016 campaign is going to be observed closely in India. Her success in breaking through what she calls the “highest and hardest glass ceiling” will be an emphatic endorsement of women politicians who choose integration of their twin identity over virtual shoulder pads. Political astuteness is not gender dependent and must be acknowledged so.
Sexism in politics needs to be offset by increasing women’s participation. It is encouraging to know that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent out a stern message by reprimanding his MP. We expect to see similar alacrity in future in the context of the women’s bill.
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