When the society assigned her a position, they consigned her status to the four walls of the home, and when they assessed her abilities, they thought it was less important than the men in the society. Nevertheless, she proved her worth against all odds, establishing her mettle in this patriarchal world through Indira, Sarojini, Kamla, and Mamata.
The representation of women in Indian politics has always been a contentious issue. Making a lasting impression in politics is undoubtedly challenging, but this is especially true for women. In a male-dominated society the participation of women in politics has not only been discouraged but the women who showed the courage to step into this space had to fight many prejudices and preconceptions.
The following are some significant barriers that prevent women from participating in politics. First, the society's engrained patriarchal worldview. Traditional and widely accepted standards dictated that women's major roles were limited to the home and that men are better suited to handle the "public and political realm." Because of this way of thinking, it has been challenging for women to pursue challenging careers. Furthermore, those women who dared to take the risk had to deal with numerous political and nasty comments. Where Indira Gandhi was called ‘Gungi Gudiya’ by the men in her party once, similarly leaders like Mayawati and Jayalalitha also had to bear personal remarks and character assassination to reach a commanding position in their respective parties.
Second, because of the "violent and hazardous" nature of the field, women find it significantly harder to pursue a career in politics. Because of intimidation and undue pressure used to accomplish tasks, ground politics has always been viewed as unsuitable for women. An example in point is the violent murder of Santosh Koli, a well-known female leader who was attempting to establish AAP as a superior option in 2013.
Last but not least, political parties also don't aggressively support the candidatures of women because it's unclear whether they can win due to societal preconceptions.
No doubt, things have improved for the better in the past few decades, but the cost for a woman to imagine a career in politics and reach a top position is still very high. As a society, it is our collective responsibility that we are able to create a space where women are free to express themselves and choose a career without any fear.
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