Are political parties using women members just for gathering crowd in public meetings and increasing headcount during rallies? It seems so, according to Archana Jha, National Program Coordinator at Centre for Social Research, New Delhi.

Considering low percentage of tickets distribution to female candidates by almost all political parties, a marathon campaign was recently undertaken by the National Alliance for Women’s Reservation Bill. The members of the Alliance visited several political parties’ offices to demand at least 33 per cent tickets for female candidates in the upcoming elections.

The political parties which were hailed as model parties by the Alliance in terms of ticket distribution to women were All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) which gave 41 per cent tickets to women candidates and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) which reserved 33 per cent.

Jha, who led the delegation of women’s groups to various political party offices, said, “Political parties use female members for gathering crowd in public meetings and increase headcount during rallies; they make women wear party caps, hold flags and treat them as second-grade citizens in party affairs, especially when it comes to distribution of tickets for contesting in elections. We demand an immediate passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill by the next government to change this trend.”

The groups visited the party offices of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Samajwadi Party (SP).

 

Through this pattern of ticket distribution to female candidates , it can clearly be inferred that the political parties have done mere lip service, they said in a statement.

“Women’s groups urge all national and regional political parties to 'practice what they preach' and fulfil their promises to women of this country,” it added.

comment COMMENT NOW