Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala stands out among India’s major states for the fact that it has more women in the population than men. Add to that the fact that it is India’s most literate state, the logical assumption would be that women will have their place in the sun.
When it comes to electoral representation, however, women in Kerala have been sidelined, a fact that has once more been underlined though the outcome of the latest assembly election which was historic for the fact that it gave a repeat term for the Left Democratic Front.
Unfair to women
India has been discussing a 33 per cent share for women in Parliament for over two decades with that ambition far from being fulfilled. It did not materialise even when the United Progressive Alliance was in power for a decade and a woman – Sonia Gandhi – was the UPA chairperson.
About the just-concluded West Bengal assembly elections, there are three things to celebrate and one to be worried about. The celebrations are for the fact that: a) people s will got expressed and to that extent democracy worked; b) religion-based politics took a battering, but only just; and c) a new charismatic woman leader has emerged whose sheer willpower, inexhaustible energy, fighting spirit, self-belief and personal honesty could inspire a whole generation of young leaders who may be able to steer India away from today s corrupt politics and also be an example for the region.
It is most gratifying to see democracy in operation next door while in many countries, including ours, we are witnessing a highly controlled expression of people s will and a gradual denigration of individual rights and freedoms. With governments becoming more and more powerful, with public money being increasingly usurped by those holding power for personal and party politicking purposes, and with newer
Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh. File
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu
Ajit Singh, a computer engineer by training, was one of the first IITians to enter politics
Former Union Minister and chief of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Ajit Singh passed away on Thursday in a hospital in Gurugram of COVID-19 complications. He had been admitted to hospital on April 20 and passed away on Thursday morning, according to a statement put out by his son, former MP Jayant Chaudhary.
Mr. Ajit Singh, 82, a computer engineer by training, was one of the first IITians to enter politics, and became a Rajya Sabha member after his father, former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, fell ill.
Mamata Banerjee: From defeating Left to overcoming BJP s political onslaught aninews.in - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from aninews.in Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Mamata Banerjee takes oath as West Bengal CM
ANI
05 May 2021, 16:18 GMT+10
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 5 (ANI) Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday took oath as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for the third consecutive term. She was administered the oath by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
TMC secured 213 seats in the eight-phased West Bengal Assembly elections while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 77 seats. I thank all the people who were looking at the Bengal elections. Our first priority is tackling COVID-19. Secondly, I urge all political parties to look around so that violence to be controlled. From today onwards, I am taking law and order into my hands. I will post the police accordingly to tackle the situation, she said after taking the oath.