“Jitni zyada mahilayen hongi, utna achha hoga…” was the catchphrase of a public interest advertisement that aired on television for quite some time. The ad was self-explanatory, conveying the message that for society to be safe for women of all ages and social segments, it is necessary to have more and more of them in public spaces.
Even before the feminist movement gained popularity, there was a recognised need to have more women in various fields. The next step in women’s empowerment was the demand to have ‘women on top,’ with the argument being that simply increasing the number of women cannot bring about effective change in attitudes or ensure a better deal for the female gender unless women are in decisive positions. Lately, the corporate world has been undergoing this transformation, with a continuous push to have more women in boardrooms, top management ranks, and, of course, as CEOs.
However, in matters of governance, simply having women in leadership positions often means very little. A prime example of this is Mamata Banerjee, who has served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for three consecutive terms, completing 13 years in office. She is currently the only woman chief minister in the country.
Consider this: the Trinamool Congress (TMC) doesn’t just have a leader whom the media often refers to as ‘supremo.’ Mamata’s council of ministers includes eight women. Additionally, there are 11 TMC women MPs in the Lok Sabha and another five women in the Rajya Sabha. In proportional terms, the TMC boasts the highest representation of women. This has been a consistent trend within the party. Even within the organisation, Mamata Banerjee is known for promoting significant participation of women in all party-related activities and appointing them to important positions. A quick glance at the number of women surrounding Mamata at any political event is a clear indication of this.
However, Bengal ranks high among states in incidents of crimes against women, though it is not the highest. In the horrific rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee’s government initially tried to dismiss it as a suicide, despite multiple injuries and signs of torture on the body. A massive cover-up operation was then undertaken to prevent the truth from coming out. By this time, the media had already learned about the gruesome crime. Mamata then accused Raam and Vaam, the BJP and Left Front, of orchestrating a politically motivated campaign. She even took to the streets of Kolkata, demanding ‘justice’ for the victim—a poor attempt to reclaim the lost narrative, if ever there was one.
This has been Mamata Banerjee’s consistent reaction. She had previously termed the Sandeshkhali cases as ‘sajano,’ or choreographed. In at least half a dozen cases, she was quick to blame and shame the victim. Even her ardent admirers have been left speechless by the horror of post-poll violence against women perpetrated by TMC cadres after every election.
In the doctor’s case, some have pointed out that the criminal cover-ups and dereliction of duty by Kolkata Police or the RG Kar Hospital administration must not be pinned on the chief minister. Well, they must. As both the health minister and the home minister, the responsibility ultimately lies with her. Much has been written about how she attempted to provide a safe passage for the Kolkata Police Commissioner and the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. This is why the apex court indicted the state government in no uncertain terms.
This brings us back to the point that simply having women in leadership positions is not enough. What is required is a tough, no-nonsense administration that does not tolerate any dereliction of duty. What is needed is empathy from the leadership, concern for the victims and their kin, and zero tolerance towards criminals, as well as government and political functionaries who play with the lives of women. On all these counts, the Mamata government has left a lot to be desired.
The author is Advisor, Prasar Bharati and Senior Journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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