Why village women don't show up in election rallies
Times of Bennett | Updated: Apr 12, 2019 17:51
By Khushi Pal
When big party leaders and their army of party workers were campaigning from village to village, with promises of jobs and development, not a single woman was spotted in the gatherings. This came as a surprise to the students of
Upon talking to the young men who were shouting slogans and cheering for Dr Mahesh Sharma, students came to know that women were discouraged from voting and attending political meetings. Brijesh Yadav, 19, resident of Nagla Hukam Singh village said, “Our mothers and sisters don’t participate in the affairs of the village nor their opinion is sought in political matters.”
When students went to some homes to talk to the women, they found that the women were either feeding the cows in the backyard or cooking the evening meal on earthen stoves or tending to the children. The sight of city students drew curious looks from women in neighbouring houses who peeped from behind half open doors with their heads covered.
Sunita Kumar, 35 of Tirthali village volunteered to talk. Though she did not know the names of the MLA or the Union Minister, she mentioned the name ‘Modi’. “I don’t know anything about
Poorva Singh, first-year BJMC student from Bennett, asked Dr Mahesh Sharma why women were not encouraged to participate in village
But according to Maya Kasturi, a senior
Stressing on the need for educating girls, Dr Mahesh Sharma said the proposal for two Degree colleges has been approved, and “soon we will have more girls from Jewar villages going to a proper college.”
Though at this point fewer women practice their voting right, higher education will pave the way for a more active participation in the coming times.
