The Elite Billing

Why do the political parties engaged in fighting for the rights of the marginalized are opposing “progressive women’s reservation bill’ and why congress, BJP and left have combined to vote for the bill? Why BJP which had mobilized people against reservation for OBCs, supporting it?  Is it just because that ‘they owe the bill to their mother” as Virappa Moili had said.  It’s too complicated and therefore it is of prime importance to analyze it historically and understand the subaltern perspective.

When the first Lok Sabha was constituted, there were 369 Brahmin members out of the total 540. But numbers of Brahmins have considerably reduced over a period and in the prevailing Lok Sabha, Brahmins are only 69.  The reduction of higher caste representatives in the Parliament and increase in the number of representatives of subaltern groups may be attributed to enhanced political awareness, participation in the democratic processes and successful political mobilization in the electoral politics. Building political conscious, electoral gains and ability to influence legislations are largely perceived to be threat not only to the long maintained political hegemony of the upper caste but also to the status quo. The increase in the political clout of BSP, SP, RJD is evident from the consolidation of the exploited sections of the society which is further reflected through their electoral gains.

It is against this social and political background that mainstream parties have come together to pass the Women’s reservation Bill. The representation of the women in the present form will be at the cost of the political aspiration of the SC/ ST and OBCs. It is insensitive towards the multifarious discriminations that women belonging to marginalized communities faces. It exhibits that how different political ideologies and parties complement each other in ensuring rights of the privileged and upper castes. The bill and the consequent political lobbying across parties and ideologies seem to be keener on arresting the political and social progress of subalterns than the meager representation of the women over the years in the parliament.

This is an alarming indication to the parties like BSP, SP and RJD who have been fighting for subaltern voices. It is a threat to their political emergence as it is likely to turn the clock back to higher parliamentary representation of Brahmins in 1951 constituent election. Bill in the present form would further strengthen the dynastical politics in India restricting opportunities to political families and it is most likely to bring in more elitist and urban biased representatives.