MAMATA’S LADY WARRIORS

The West Bengal chief minister has always worked for the cause of women and relied on them in politics. Now, two of the most accomplished women in her cabinet, Chandrima Bhattacharya and Shashi Panja, are given charge of the crucial finance and industry portfolios respectively

- Romita Datta

This year, like every other year, Inter­ national Women’s Day on March 8 was marked by solemn declarations of women’s rights and gender equality, celebration of the socio­political and cul­tural achievements of women, and rec­ognition of the barriers to be overcome still. It was also blithely used by com­mercial establishments to peddle their fare. But in India, women still constitute only 15 per cent of the 545 MPs in the Lok Sabha; in the Rajya Sabha, they are 14 per cent. Lawmakers continue to be indifferent to the Women’s Reservation Bill—seeking to reserve one­ third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state legisla­tive assemblies—that was tabled in the Lok Sabha in 2010, after being passed in the Upper House that year. The situation across state legislatures is no better—19 of them have less than 10 per cent women lawmakers. West Bengal, with 40 women legislators (comprising 13.7 per cent of its 294 MLAs), is among the states with the highest proportion of women MLAs. Thirty­ three of the state’s women MLAs are from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), seven from the BJP. In addition, nine of the TMC’s 22 Lok Sab­ ha MPs (40 per cent) are women. Indeed, party chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has always put women in the foreground, be it in politics or adminis­tration. Now, by handing over two key portfolios—finance, and commerce and industry—to two senior women in her cabinet, Mamata has demonstrated the faith she reposes in her lady colleagues.