Bengali women voted in large numbers, but what will they get in return? We ask an activist.

Women voters in West Bengal are likely to vote in large numbers in this general election, but with little political debate on women’s empowerment, they will not receive much in return, according to prominent women academics and activists in the state. The chances of getting it are low.

The number of women voters in West Bengal has increased significantly in recent years, and there are now 968 women per 1,000 men, higher than the 948 women per 1,000 men in India as a whole. Activists say that in all three phases of elections in the state, especially in the third phase, there are constituencies where women voters actually outnumbered male voters, such as Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Malda and Jangipur. He pointed out that there were several. However, despite their active participation in the democratic process, they are far from strengthening themselves.

Beyond a female-centered system

“Rural women figure everywhere in the political narrative of the election. It is the women who are loudly protesting against price rise, the brutality of price rise, and unemployment. But the ruling forces are They respond to this enthusiasm in the form of regular government schemes like Bhandar and Lakhpati Didi, which are their rightful share of subsidy in an unequal world,” said Ishita, professor of economics at Calcutta University.・Mr. Mukhopadhyay said.

“All loans are targeted at women. But are these just for women or are they meant to somehow support poor families? Their eagerness to engage in dialogue would have earned them a seat in parliament and the natural right to practice participatory democracy in this country, for reasons unknown. They have been played with by postponing reservations and restricting seats,” Prof Mukhopadhyay said.

Furthermore, she added: “When will we realize that half of the voters represent half of our human capital and that they too need to participate in the democratic process? This has been a gender budget mandate since 2005. It is unfortunate that these mandates have been turned into poll promises.”

countryside, suburban women

Feminist author and commentator Sanjukta Dasgupta says that in 21st century India, politicians are finally beginning to realize the “importance and agency” of women voters. At the same time, women voters in suburban and rural areas also seem to recognize the importance of active participation in the electoral process.

“They realize that the benefits are for their participation. This enthusiastic response by women to the call to vote has certainly changed the ecosystem of the 2024 general election. However, the response from privileged urban women voters is unfortunately not equal,” Dasgupta said.

Equal pay for equal work

Doron Ganguly, a prominent women’s rights activist and head of the NGO Azad Foundation, said that while women were an important vote bank in countries and states, they were unable to obtain constitutional rights such as equal pay and equality. said it is still far away. work.

“They still do not have access to skills training and subsequent livelihoods. They still do not have a dignified life! Political parties need to reflect on and address issues related to women in the workforce. Along with this, we also need to introspect about women leaving the workforce and the reasons behind it,” Ganguly said.