Ima market of Imphal

Muslim women have no place in Assam state’s politics

By Anjuman Ara Begum, TwoCircles.net,

‘Women are created by the Almighty for rearing children... they are not supposed to ride horses, firing guns or selling liquor or making speeches in the parliament,” said a Janab in Allahabad. (Source internet).

Women in India constitute nearly half the population of the country but their representation in politics hardly reflects their percentage in population. Women representation in governance and decision making bodies is as low as invisible. Political participation and representation of women in India remained marginalized in last 14 general elections so far reflects a low representation of women in Parliament, State legislatures, in political parties and other decision-making bodies and women are having less than 8% of Parliamentary seats, less than 6% Cabinet positions, less than 4% of seats in High Courts and the Supreme Court, have been occupied by women and less than 3% of the administrators and managers are women. The average percentage of women’s representation in the Parliament, Assemblies and Council of Ministers taken together has been around 10%. (Study by UNIFEM, 2000).

Anwara Taimura is the the only female and Muslim to become chief minister of Assam.

Women’s participation is considerably high in informal political activities like demonstrations, mobilizations and other similar activities. Their participation in such atmosphere is much encouraged and considered as important part of every political party in the country. Women’s active participation in politics in India raised the issue of representation in politics first time in 1917 in the form of a demand for universal adult franchise which was achieved by 1930. With the Indian constitution coming into force in 1950, women were constitutionally granted equal right to political participation in the country. Today the 33% reservation into Panchayat level may have increased women’s representation in figures but still their representation remained marginalized.

When representation and participation of women itself is a big issue and within that the issue of participation by Muslim women is another dimension of the issue. A report on the status of Muslim women in India by Seema Kazi sponsored by Minorities Rights Group International and published in 1999 has reported that according to government reports, Muslim women are among the poorest, educationally disenfranchised, economically vulnerable, politically marginalized group in the country. The report further reports that ‘in 1983, the Gopal Singh Committee instituted by the government of India, declared Muslims as a "backward" community in India. A central feature of this "backwardness" is their exceedingly poor socio-economic status, particularly of Muslim women. Most Muslim women remain "invisible" workers in the informal economy. The Muslim share in public employment is less than 3 per cent. Within this picture of marginalization, it is a predictable certainty that the corresponding figures for Muslim women are further skewed towards the bottom’.

The state of Assam with considerable percentage of Muslim population (about 30.9%, 2001) has little to do with the women’s representation in active politics. History shows that only a few Muslim women belonging to elite class were successful to penetrate into the male-dominated political domain of Assam. History shows that late Begum Aafia Ahmed became the first Muslim MLA in Assam in 1967 who hailed from Jorhat and won a berth in the assembly from Jamunamukh constituency of Nagaon district and similarly the first even Muslim women MP from Assam was Begum Mofida Ahmed who won in 1952 from Jorhat constituency. Both of them belonged to elite Assamese muslims of upper Assam and could find their position in political sphere due to family legacy. Apart from that there was complete zero representation till 1967 when Mofida Begum’s daughter Anowara Taimur found berth in Assam Assembly in 1972 from Dalgaon constituency. She continued to win for several times in 1977, 1978, 1983 under the ticket from Congress and from 1978 under the ticket from Congress (I).

In 1980, Syeda Anwara Taimur created history by being the only female and Muslim Chief Minister of the state of Assam from 6 December 1980 to 30 June 1981. Her term as chief minister ended when the state was put under president's rule for six months. In 1985, Anowara lost to Abdul Jabbar belonging to United Minority Front. This Front later merged in AIUDF in 2006. In 1991, Anowara won again and became the Minister of Agriculture. In 1996, Anowara lost again. Till this period Anowara continued to be the lone female Muslim candidate from Congress (I), else other parties. The year 2001 could be called an important year for Muslim women as in that year two female Muslim women got elected. They are Husnewara Islam, widow of Zahirul Islam contesting from Mankachar constituency and representing Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Sharifa Begum, daughter of Dr. Muhammed Idris who was the Congress MLA in Rupohihat and Bhing constituency in 1972-1978, 1983, 1985. These two women could penetrate into the political sphere not due to their capabilities but due to the sphere created by their male family members like husband and father. Idris Ali was a member of assembly for several times and Zahirul Islam was too a prominent congress MLA from Mankachar. Except Sharifa Begum, all Muslim women were from elite Assamese Muslim family and Sharifaa is the first female Muslim MLA representing the Bengali speaking Muslims of Assam.

AIUDF may have given a new hope to the participation in decision making for the Muslims but not for Muslim women. In 2006, AIUDF appeared as a fresh face in state’s politics and it contested in 65 seats and won 10 seats. No female candidates were nominated by AIUDF. In 2011, AIUDF has nominated two women, Begum Gulakhtara in East Bilashipara constituency and Jahida Sultana Sarkar in Samuguri constituency. A prominent AIUDF figure is of the opinion that, ‘Society is still don’t accept women as leaders in political sphere. We can consider women if she is influential, rich and belongs to a family that has political legacy like Anowara Taimur. We will consider women only if there is a mandatory provision like 33% reservation’.

Another mentionable name in the politics is Naznin Farooqui whom Congress nominated twice in 1991 and 1998 Nagaon parliamentary 1998, in Assam assembly election in 1996. She failed to win these years though in 2006 she became a member of Rajyasabha.

Student politics is an important feature in the politics of Assam. All Assam Minority students Union formed in 1979 has produced about 50% of the political leaders who were either directly or indirectly affiliated this body. Even this body too paid little attention in women’s participation in politics. Till date this body has not appointed even a single female office bearer. AMSU played important role in nurturing Muslim leaders but not female Muslim leaders.

Low literacy rate, access to information, reinforcement of cultural stereotypes and lack of empowerment among the Muslim women etc has resulted their meager presence in the political sphere of the state which in turn has resulted into the neglect of their issues and experiences in policy making.

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