Changing Role of Women in Indian Politics

“Women Empowerment” is a government slogan. There is a ministry for Women and Child development. There are laws against female foeticide, domestic violence and sexual harassment in the workplace. Determined women are carving their own niche in every field including those which were entirely male dominated till 1947. Despite all this they remain second class citizens in almost every sense in rural areas across India. Crime against women continues to increase, female foeticide is very common among educated women, incidents of sati still take place. The head of the family continues to be a man. The story does not end here. In fact what underlines the inferior status conferred upon woman is their status in the field of politics. Throughout the world women face obstacles to their participation in politics. In 2005, the rate of female representation was only 16% globally. This figure has increased in recent years. The largest democracy in the world India elected its first woman president in its 60th year of independence. Many prominent women played a leading role in the freedom movement.The important place assigned to women in India dates back to the time of the Vedas and Smritis. During the Vedic age the position of women in society was very high and they were regarded as equal partners with men in all respects. Who had not heard of Maitri, Gargi, Sati Annusuya and Sita? Rani laxmi bai, begum hazrat mahal, sarojini naidu, vijaya laxmi pandit, sucheta kriplani, kasturba Gandhi, aruna asaf ali and many others constitute the Womanhood of India who in the hour of peril for the motherland forsook the shelter of their homes and with unfailing courage and endurance stood shoulder to shoulder with their menfolk, in the frontline of India’s national army to share with them the sacrifices and triumphs of the struggle The majority of women in the Indian Parliament are from the elite class. While their public role challenges some stereotypes, their class position often