04-20-2006, 09:59 AM
<!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--> Bihar women flock to panchayat poll fray
- Pankaj Bhartiya
Thursday, April 20, 2006 (Saharsa):
The 50 per cent reservation for women in Bihar's panchayats has lead to new kinds of conflicts and role reversals within the local families.
For some of the women, contesting the panchayat elections means entrusting the domestic responsibilities to their husbands.
The husbands, on their part, are concerned that the next five years could bring mammoth problems for them if their wives win the election and take on the responsibilities of a panchayat member.
"I really don't know how I will adjust myself to all this in the next five years, but I will have to do it," said Mohammad Tauhid, whose wife Tabassum is contesting panchayat elections in the Saharasa district.
Saas-bahu sagas
Some families are facing challenges of a different kind, with more than one of their women members being pitted against each other.
These include Shakuntala Devi, who is contesting against her daughter-in-law Panna Devi in the Bhawanipur panchayat in Saharsa.
"Contesting the elections is my right, and I have no problem if my daughter-in-law is contesting as well," Shakuntala Devi said.
The Nitish Kumar government's decision to provide reservation for women in panchayat elections has obviously gone down well with the electorate, and the changing domestic equations are just a sign of the vibrant local democracy in the state.
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--> Bihar women flock to panchayat poll fray- Pankaj Bhartiya
Thursday, April 20, 2006 (Saharsa):
The 50 per cent reservation for women in Bihar's panchayats has lead to new kinds of conflicts and role reversals within the local families.
For some of the women, contesting the panchayat elections means entrusting the domestic responsibilities to their husbands.
The husbands, on their part, are concerned that the next five years could bring mammoth problems for them if their wives win the election and take on the responsibilities of a panchayat member.
"I really don't know how I will adjust myself to all this in the next five years, but I will have to do it," said Mohammad Tauhid, whose wife Tabassum is contesting panchayat elections in the Saharasa district.
Saas-bahu sagas
Some families are facing challenges of a different kind, with more than one of their women members being pitted against each other.
These include Shakuntala Devi, who is contesting against her daughter-in-law Panna Devi in the Bhawanipur panchayat in Saharsa.
"Contesting the elections is my right, and I have no problem if my daughter-in-law is contesting as well," Shakuntala Devi said.
The Nitish Kumar government's decision to provide reservation for women in panchayat elections has obviously gone down well with the electorate, and the changing domestic equations are just a sign of the vibrant local democracy in the state.