WOMEN NEED TO PLAY VOTEBANK POLITICS

WOMEN NEED TO PLAY VOTE BANK POLITICS

Musings

By

VIKRAM KARVE

WHY VOTE BANKS ARE MALE CENTRIC IN INDIA

ELECTION DAY IN GIRINAGAR – An Apocryphal Story By Vikram Karve

This happened a few years ago when I lived at a place called Girinagar near Pune.

“I want the day off,” Sushila, our maid, asked my wife.

“Why?” my wife asked.

“We have to vote. Today is election day,” she said.

“That’s good,” I said.

I was quite surprised at Sushila’s eagerness to vote because Sushila was totally illiterate.

Yes, she lived just a few kilometres away from a modern city like Pune (often called the “Oxford of the East”) – yet, like so many others, she could not read or write.

But her keenness to vote indicated what a vibrant democracy we were.

“Who are you going to vote for?” I asked, in jest.

She told me a symbol – “I am going to vote for XXX symbol,” Sushila said.

“But why?” I asked.

“WE have decided,” she said.

“WE” meant her husband.

Apparently, her husband had gone for a “meeting” and it was decided that the entire neighbourhood will vote for XXX symbol.

“So you vote for XXX symbol every time,” I asked her.

“No, last time we all voted for YYY symbol,” she said.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because “WE” had decided,” she said.

Of course, she did not know anything about the ideology of the  political parties to which the symbols XXX and YYY belonged.

It was none of her business.

Before every election, it was the men who had a meeting and decided who to vote for and the women dutifully complied.

(Of course, the men had a “leader” who guided them in these matters)

Like Sushila’s husband, most of the men in that area were drunkards who lived off their wives’ earnings.

But all that did not matter.

In the patriarchal society that prevailed, the women dutifully obeyed their men, even if the men were good-for-nothing drunkards.

So, in Sushila’s family of 7 voters (she, her husband, her two sons and daughters-in-law, and unmarried daughter), all would be voting for the symbol XXX which had been “decided”.

Added up, it was quite a large number of votes in the locality, and since they all of them voted en-bloc for a certain “symbol” it was quite a sizeable “votebank”.

A few more such solid votebanks could ensure victory in the election, as the victory of the XXX candidate proved.

Around 3 in the afternoon we saw Sushila standing near our gate.

“Have you voted?” I asked her.

“No,” she said.

“Voting time will be over soon. Why didn’t you vote in the morning?” I said.

“They haven’t come to take us,” she said.

A friend of mine who had come over and was hearing the conversation said, “Don’t you know? Someone has to come and take them to the polling booth in a vehicle – and then give them some inducement, here it is mostly liquor – only after that will they vote.”

After some time I saw a van arrive to take all them for voting.

In the evening we saw Sushila’s husband and her sons lurching in a drunken manner on the road, as were most men.

It was obvious that liquor was flowing freely on election day (though strictly speaking it was a “dry day”)

At night, when Sushila came to work, we saw tears in her eyes.

She said that her husband and her sons were drunk – and her husband had thrashed her as he always did when he was drunk, and one of her sons had thrashed his wife too.

“See,” my wife said to Sushila, “you voted for the person who gave liquor to your husband and sons – you all women voted for those who are causing you harm.”

What an irony!

Why do women vote for someone who causes them more harm than good?

IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A WOMEN’S VOTEBANK ?

Isn’t it a similar story everywhere?

We see media reports of male chauvinistic politicians who make derogatory remarks demeaning women from time to time.

Is it possible for them to get elected unless women vote for them?

After all, women comprise 50% of the electorate.

Though it is a secret ballot, obviously, most women do not vote independently and freely for that candidate or party who may best serve women’s interests.

In our patriarchal culture it is the men who decide who to vote for and women comply meekly.

That is why, at least in most of India, vote banks are male-centric.

And that is why many politicians have no qualms about denigrating the dignity of women by making tasteless comments, because they are confident that women will still vote for them.

EMANCIPATION OF WOMEN BY VOTEBANK POLITICS

In a democracy like India, the only way women can emancipate themselves is to organize themselves into a formidable women’s votebank.

A women’s votebank will have 50% of all voter strength.

The women’s votebank will be larger than all other votebanks put together and it will be the women’s votebank which will decide the results of the elections.

Women have to emancipate themselves, not depend on men to do so, especially when democracy has given them the opportunity to do so.

I wonder why women politicians are not taking the initiative to consolidate women’s votebanks to address and mitigate women’s issues?

For example, in the place I mentioned, alcoholism was a major issue which was affecting most womenfolk.

If all the women had got together and decided to vote en-bloc for that candidate who promised in his manifesto to shut the liquor shops and introduce prohibition of alcohol in the area, would it not have been better for the women?

A strong women’s votebank will ensure that political parties include women’s issues like safety, security, gender equality etc in their manifestos and try to implement them otherwise the women may throw them out in the next election, or better still have their own candidate.

I feel that the best solution to achieve betterment of women in a secular democracy like India is to have a strong women’s votebank cutting across caste, creed, linguistic and religious lines and including all women. 

Yes, women need to identify themselves as women first, and all other things like caste, creed, region, religion, language etc can come later.

We have all sorts of votebanks.

Isn’t it high time for a gender based women’s votebank which can be a game changer in Indian Politics?

In India, if women want to progress and get their due place in society, then women need to play votebank politics to counter male centric votebanks, which may be detrimental to the emancipation of women.

I will end with the question I asked earlier at the end of the story I narrated:

Why do women vote for someone who causes them more harm than good?

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like this article?  

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
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http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook

If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie I am sure that you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com

Twitter: @vikramwkarve

      

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

SOLDIERS ARE NOT A VOTEBANK

SOLDIERS ARE NOT A VOTE BANK

Yesterday, on Independence Day, I was chatting with some youngsters.

Most of them had heard, on the media, some rather unbecoming statements about soldiers made by politicians in the recent past. 

Most of them wondered why politicians do not care about the plight of soldiers, except for some lip service jingoistic rhetoric in times of crises.

The answer is simple.

Politicians care for those who vote for them, especially their “votebanks” comprising those voters who vote en-bloc based on caste, creed, religion or on linguistic lines. 

That is why politicians woo various caste groups and minorities and try to appease them with sops, welfare measures and benefits in order to garner their votes.

Soldiers are not votebanks.

In fact, most soldiers do not vote in elections as they are deprived of their right to vote due to an inefficient postal ballot system. 

The improvisation of proxy voting has also failed miserably.

One does not understand why the archaic method of postal ballot is still being used despite being so unsuccessful.

Though Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been introduced long back, there is no initiative to introduce Electronic Online Voting for soldiers. 

It seems that the Election Commission and Senior Defence Officers do not seem to be keen on ensuring that each and every military officer and soldier gets an opportunity to exercise his franchise and is able to cast his vote in the elections. 

Hence, for no fault of theirs, most military personnel are denied their democratic right to vote in an election.

I feel that both the Election Commission of India and Defence Services must take initiatives to ensure that all military personnel are given proper opportunity to vote in the next elections, in 2013 and 2014.

It is only when “soldiers” start voting in large numbers, will politicians start taking genuine interest in the welfare of servicemen, ex-servicemen and their issues.

Till then, politicians will keep ignoring soldiers for the simple reason that soldiers are not votebanks.

I had written a blog post on this subject sometime back, on 27 July 2013.

I am reposting it below as requested by my young friends, and also for everyone else to read and reflect upon.

WHY POLITICIANS IGNORE SOLDIERS

Musings on Improving the Military Electoral System

By

VIKRAM KARVE

(The generic term “soldier” includes all uniformed security forces – soldiers, sailors, airmen, paramilitary and policemen) 

Yesterday was Kargil Diwas.

It was ignored by most politicians.

There is a perception that politicians do not care for soldiers.

Yes, they want soldiers to protect them, to lay down their lives in the line of duty.

As exemplified in the poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” soldiers are expected to scrupulously follow the dictum:

“Theirs is not to reason why, theirs is to do and die”

Why do politicians ignore soldiers?

Politicians ignore soldiers because they are not a votebank.

Forget about not being a votebank – most soldiers don’t even vote.

As citizens of India, soldiers have a democratic right to vote in elections.

However, in actual practice, most personnel of the security forces (soldiers sailors airmen paramilitary and police) are denied their democratic right to adult franchise as a citizen of this nation because they are unable to cast their votes.

Soldiers don’t vote because they are deprived of their right to vote owing to an inefficient postal-ballot system.

The postal ballot system remains inefficient because senior officers are disinterested.

Apparently, many Senior Officers believe that being “apolitical” means that you should not vote.

Even 66 years after independence, there still remain traces of feudal culture, or should I say “colonial mindset”, in some senior officers.

These “Relics of the Raj” do not encourage or facilitate voting in the uniformed services because they feel that voting in an election is not important – some probably think that voting is undesirable.

This apathy of the services towards the electoral process results in “soldiers” being excluded as a voter during elections.

This exclusion of “soldiers” from democratic elections has other ramifications too.

You may have noticed that whenever there is an issue involving “Law-Enforcers” versus “Law-Breakers” many politicians tend to take up cudgels on behalf of the law-breakers.

This may sound bizarre, but haven’t you seen this happening?

Why should politicians (law-makers) espouse wrongdoers (law-breakers) and deprecate their own security forces and police (law-enforcers)?

The answer is simple.

“Law Breakers” are “votebanks” (or they influence votebanks) who will help politicians win elections.

In the present day political scenario, you matter only if you are a votebank and soldiers are not a votebank – in fact, soldiers don’t even vote.

At the local level too, politicians do not bother about soldiers from their own constituency, since the politicians know that these soldiers, serving at distant places, are not going to vote in the election.

India is a democracy and a soldier has a right to vote.

In view of his “nomadic” life due to frequent transfers, a soldier and his family are registered as “service voters” and are entitled to vote by postal ballot at their native place or hometown.

However, owing to the inefficiency of the present system, only a very small percentage of soldiers and their families are able to exercise their franchise.

Someone told me that it is the same situation in the paramilitary and police too, who are deployed on “election bandobast” duties far away from their homes and mostly they too miss out on voting.

Thus, due to factors beyond his control, a soldier is unable to cast his vote and loses his basic democratic right to exercise his franchise.

It may be interesting to find out the following information:

1. What percentage of “soldiers” and their families are registered as service voters?

2. How many “soldiers” and their families have actually cast their votes in the previous elections?

I am sure that these details can easily be found out and the results will be an eye-opener for the election commission.

You may find that in many cases soldiers and their families are not even registered as service voters (the onus of ensuring this lies with the respective superior officers).

And even amongst the few who are registered, many are deprived of their right to vote due to lapses in the postal ballot system.

Let me give you my own example.

After I joined the Navy, the moment I became 21 (the voting age those days) I was given a form to fill up to register as a service voter.

The Navy is very good at getting forms filled up.

Of course, what happens afterwards is another matter!

A few years later, there was an election and I eagerly awaited my postal ballot.

My postal ballot did arrive – but it arrived too late.

The envelope containing my postal ballot was delivered to me a few days after the election was over and the results had been declared.

I observed that in my ship, very few postal ballots came. Most of the individuals did not get their postal-ballots at all, and of the few that came, most postal ballots had arrived too late.

Due to this, hardly anyone was able to cast his vote.

After I got married, my wife also registered as a postal ballot voter, but she too was unable to vote in the next elections, since once again the postal ballots did not arrive in time.

The same thing happened again and again.

Either the postal ballots arrived too late or they did not come at all.

If you told your senior officers, they just laughed it off saying that anyway the elections were over and your vote did not matter.

If you have served in uniform, in the army, navy, air force, paramilitary or police, do tell us of your experience.

Did you and your family register as a service voter?

How many times in your career has your postal ballot arrived well in time?

How many times in your long service career have you actually voted in an election?

I am sure the Election Commission of India wants everyone to vote in elections and they are keen that service voters are able to exercise their franchise like any other citizen of the country.

Various initiatives like “proxy voting” have been tried but they have not borne the desired results and have been unsuccessful.

Unfortunately, the archaic voting method of postal ballots continues.

Yes, even telegrams have been discontinued but postal ballots still continue.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have replaced paper ballots in India.

Introduction of EVMs in elections happened many years ago.

But nothing has been done to change the old postal ballot system.

Why can’t we have an electronic online voting system for service voters?

In today’s world, I am sure that information technology can be harnessed to enable a soldier to electronically cast his vote online from wherever he is located via the internet.

It can be easily ensured that all “soldiers” and their families are given the opportunity to exercise their franchise and cast their votes in the elections.

The technology, the connectivity, the expertise – everything is available.

Then why is electronic online voting for “service voters” not being implemented?

Well, as I said, it is a question of antiquated colonial mindset.

In the uniformed services, it is very easy to get things done – you pass orders and fix responsibility.

If the defence services could carry out a mammoth rescue operation in Uttarakhand which such alacrity, precision and efficiency, I am sure they can ensure that every “soldier” is able to vote in the next elections.

The onus of ensuring that every eligible individual is registered as a service voter and is able to exercise his franchise, by casting his vote on time, lies with the respective uniformed service.

At the micro level, Commanding Officers can be made responsible and held accountable for this – to ensure that all “soldiers” under their command register as voters and cast their votes in time.

“Returning Officers” can be appointed in every unit to supervise the electronic voting by soldiers and ensure smooth conduct of elections.

At the macro level, each service must liaise with the election commission to ensure 100% registration of eligible service voters and facilitate electronic voting by providing the necessary technological and human resources during elections.

In the same manner as they set up “pay commission cells”, each service must set up “election commission cells” tasked with ensuring 100% voting by “soldiers”.

Like they have in every state during elections, each uniformed service can appoint a Chief Electoral Officer responsible for the conduct of election in his service and reporting to the Election Commission for all election related matters.

Despite efforts of the election commission, due to archaic mindset of senior officers and consequent indifferent approach, it seems that most “soldiers” are not able to exercise their franchise and are being deprived of their basic democratic right of casting their vote in an election.

Service Voters must be able to vote in elections.

This is not an insurmountable task – the process, the technology, the resources, everything is readily available and the uniformed services are geared up to take on any task.

It is just a question of attitude and will.

Let’s hope things change positively and every “soldier” is able to vote in the ensuing 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.

In modern elections, with multiplicity of political parties and large numbers of candidates contesting in each constituency, victory margins are decreasing, and every vote is becoming important.

Maybe, when “soldiers” start voting in large numbers, will politicians start taking genuine interest in the welfare of servicemen, ex-servicemen and their issues.

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013. All Rights Reserved

Did you like this article?

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook

If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

      

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.