Will the reservation bill empower women in Andhra Pradesh? The sceptics are out in strength on this one. Their doubts stem from the feeling that the provision of such a quota in the state’s civic bodies has not delivered the desired result. Across the state, barring a few exceptions, by and large it is the men who wield power though women occupy the positions of power. Take, for instance, the case of Salur municipal chairperson Mugada Gangamma.The illiterate arrack seller found herself catapulted to the chair of municipal chairperson on September 30, 2005, thanks to reservations.
But has the new position empowered her in any away? Sadly, no. It is her husband Prasad, a taxi driver initially, who wields all the power. He takes all the calls and answers them as if he is the chairman. Apart from Prasad, it is municipal vice chairman Madhusudana Rao who acts as proxy chairman. “The councillors of the municipality opposed allotment of a car to her as they think she does not deserve one, she being an illiterate,” her husband rues.
Take another example. In Pulivendula in Kadapa district, represented in the Assembly by chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, vice chairman Y S Manohar Reddy, brother of the chief minister, acts as de facto chairman though the official chairperson is Rukmini Devi. She has no decision-making authority and cannot override what Manohar Reddy says.
In the same Kadapa district, when E Malleswari was chairperson of Proddatur, her husband G V Sudhakar Reddy, a councillor, acted as de facto chairman, whether it was deciding contracts, taking up new works or projects. Malleswari simply signed on the dotted lines. The situation has not changed even after Malleswari vacated the post in favour of Sairabanu, from the same party, who remains absent most days.
It is her close relative, vice-chairman, V S Muktiar, who acts as chairman. All the same, there are several cases of women who have become decision makers, even though they are few in number. In East Godavari, Saroja, a post-graduate in computer science, is the mayor of Kakinada Municipal Corporation. For the first six months, she was forced to depend on others, as she was new to politics.
Acquiring knowledge of the Municipal Act helped her to act on her own. She says: “After serving nearly three-and-a-half years as a mayor I am confident that I can handle the council and reply to the queries of even senior councillors.”
“Political parties should pick women who are aware of women’s problems and field them for positions of power. This will empower women in letter and spirit,” says Sandhya, president of Progressive Organisation of Women.
“Even 15 years after the introduction of reservation for women in local bodies, the success is hardly 30 per cent. Though women hold more than the seats reserved for them, very few act independently. The political atmosphere is also not congenial for women who want to take politics as a profession. The Women’s Reservation Bill will not serve any purpose until women are allowed to act as independent decision makers,” feels C Mrunalini, an academician.
— gss@epmltd.com
State: Andhra Pradesh
Women in Parliament: Five (out of 42 seats)
Women Candidates in LS polls: 39 out of 568
for 42 seats
Women in Assembly: 33 out of 294. Six of them
are ministers in the State cabinet
Strongwomen: Seasoned leaders like G Kuthuhalamma in the Congress hardly take any decisions in the party functioning. Nannapaneni Rajakumari (TDP) is a spokesperson for the party but does not have any decision-making powers within the party. In the Praja Rajyam, : Vanga Geetha, former Rajya Sabha member and former minister Bhuma Shobha Nagireddy have influence. TRS has promoted Vijayshanthi but for star value, while the Communist parties have no women in positions of power