Women’s Role in the Constituent Assembly
- Constitution
Day (November 26, 2024): President Droupadi
Murmu highlighted the contributions of women in India’s Constituent
Assembly.
- Women
in the Assembly: Out of 299 members, 15
women participated in debates on crucial issues like gender
equality, caste, and reservations.
- Prominent
members included Sarojini Naidu, Sucheta Kripalani, and Vijaya
Lakshmi Pandit, alongside lesser-known figures from diverse
backgrounds.
Ammu Swaminathan (1894-1978)
- Background
and Early Life:
·
Born in Palakkad, Kerala.
·
Married to Subbarama Swaminathan in
her teens, she developed an interest in politics.
·
Opposed societal restrictions on widows
after witnessing her mother’s experiences.
·
Contested Central Legislative Assembly
elections (1945) on a Congress ticket and became a Constituent Assembly
member.
·
Advocated for gender equality through the Hindu
Code Bill despite opposition and ridicule.
·
Post-independence, elected as a Lok
Sabha MP from Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.
Annie Mascarene (1902-1963)
- Background
and Social Status:
- Born in Trivandrum
(Thiruvananthapuram) to a Latin Christian family at the lower
end of the caste hierarchy.
- Pursued
higher education and later taught law.
- Political
Advocacy:
- Championed universal
adult franchise, opposing restrictions on voting rights for lower-caste
Ezhavas, Christians, and Muslims.
- Targeted by
political opponents for her campaigns.
- Constituent
Assembly Role:
- Supported a strong
central government while advocating for local autonomy.
- Won as an independent
candidate from Thiruvananthapuram in 1952.
Begum Qudsia Aizaz Rasul (1909-2001)
- Background
and Early Challenges:
- Belonged to
the royal family of Malerkotla (Punjab).
- Faced
resistance from conservative groups, including a fatwa against her
convent education.
- Political
Journey:
- Entered
politics in 1936, winning elections despite criticisms.
- Initially
affiliated with the Muslim League but later opposed separate
electorates based on religion.
- Post-Independence
Role:
- Stayed in
India post-partition, became a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh
(1952).
Dakshayani Velayudhan (1912-1978)
- Background
and Struggles:
·
Belonged to the Pulaya community
(classified as a "slave" caste).
·
First Dalit woman to graduate in
science in Cochin (Kochi) despite facing caste discrimination in
college.
·
Elected to the Constituent Assembly
from Malabar at age 34.
·
Disagreed with Ambedkar on separate
electorates, believing it contradicted nationalism.
- Post-Constituent
Assembly Life:
·
Due to financial difficulties, did not
pursue a political career but stayed active in the Dalit movement.
Renuka Ray (1904-1997)
- Background
and Education:
·
Born in Pabna, now Bangladesh, to a
bureaucratic family.
·
Inspired by Gandhi, left college to join
the freedom struggle.
·
Later studied at the London School of
Economics.
- Activism
and Political Involvement:
·
Advocated for women’s rights on
issues like divorce and inheritance.
·
Represented women’s organisations in the Central
Legislative Assembly (1943) and was a Constituent Assembly member.
- Views
on Women’s Reservation:
·
Opposed reservation for women in
legislatures, considering it an impediment to progress.
·
Elected as a Lok Sabha MP in 1957.
Significance of Women’s Contributions
- Advancing
Gender Equality:
- Women in the
Constituent Assembly brought attention to key issues like gender justice
and representation.
- Influence
on Legislation:
- Their
contributions laid the groundwork for critical policies like the Hindu
Code Bill and universal adult suffrage.
- Challenging
Norms:
- Women
leaders defied societal norms and discrimination, shaping India’s
constitutional values.
Legacy and Continuing Relevance
- Underrepresentation:
- Despite
their vital contributions, women constituted only 5% of the
Constituent Assembly.
- Inspiration
for Future Generations:
- The
achievements of these women continue to inspire the fight for gender
equality and political representation in modern India.