Tue Nov 26 03:58:15 UTC 2024: ## Unsung Heroines of India’s Constitution: 15 Women’s Voices Against 299 Men
**New Delhi, India** – November 26th marks the 75th anniversary of India’s Constitution, the world’s longest written constitution. While the document is celebrated, the significant contributions of the 15 women who served in the Constituent Assembly remain largely overlooked. A new book, “The Fifteen: The Lives and Times of the Women in India’s Constituent Assembly,” by Angelique Aribam and Akash Satyawali, sheds light on their often-overlooked roles.
These 15 women, representing a mere 5.13% of the Assembly’s 299 members (reduced from an initial 389 after the partition of India), navigated a predominantly male environment rife with patriarchal attitudes and gender bias. Their voices, often drowned out by the 299 men, were crucial in shaping a constitution that, while imperfect, incorporated principles of inclusion and equality. Three of these women hailed from Kerala: Dakshayani Velayudhan, the only Dalit woman from the Kochi constituency; Ammu Swaminathan from Madras; and Annie Mascrene from Travancore-Cochin. Mascrene holds the distinction of being the first woman member of the Indian Parliament.
The book details the struggles these women faced, both personally and politically. Several were child brides, including Ammu Swaminathan and Durgabai Deshmukh. Vijayalakshmi Pandit faced adversity after her husband’s death, facing challenges in inheriting her husband’s property due to the absence of a son. Their challenges extended to the Assembly floor, where their contributions were often minimized or ignored. Discussions were punctuated by misogynistic remarks, with even President Rajendra Prasad expressing his opposition to divorce laws and suggesting that only “over-educated” women would support such bills.
Despite this adversity, these women actively participated in committees, particularly those with fewer male members. However, scholarly studies of the Constitution largely focus on debates in the main Assembly, neglecting the significant work done in these smaller committees. Women’s participation in the main Assembly debates was a mere 2%.
The women advocated for various progressive causes, including women’s rights, property rights, and social justice. They challenged traditional norms, pushing for amendments and changes to laws related to marriage, inheritance, and religious practices. Their participation directly impacted the constitution’s clauses on personal liberty and social justice. For instance, Durgabai Deshmukh’s contribution led to the reduction of the Rajya Sabha membership age from 35 to 30. Despite disagreements on certain issues like reservations for women, they remained united against oppression. Dakshayani Velayudhan, a Dalit liberation activist, even challenged B.R. Ambedkar’s stand on separate electorates for Dalits.
While Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently dismissed patriarchy as a mere term used by the Left, the book’s findings strongly counter this assertion. The legacy of these 15 women serves as a powerful reminder of the persistent struggle for gender equality in India, a fight far from over, even 75 years after the adoption of the Constitution. The low percentage of women in the Indian Parliament today (around 14%), highlights the ongoing need to amplify women’s voices and ensure their full participation in political and social life.
First Piper 