Muslim women's courage to change
Monday, 15 September 2008
Shobha SV from New Delhi
K.S. Saleeka, the only Muslim MLA from Kerala who fulfilled her political ambitions despite family opposition, Orissa's Nazma Bibi, who challenged religious diktat to remain married to her husband, and Gujarat riot victim, Shakeela Begum, who has been trying for six years to file an FIR against the police, are just some of the inspiring women who took part in the convention.
The 33 per cent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj paved the way for K.S. Saleeka's political career. Currently, she is the only female Muslim Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Kerala. Saleeka, 46, has an unassuming demeanour for an MLA, but she exudes confidence and she talks passionately about women's rights and Muslim women's issues.
She came to politics after her marriage. "My husband was a party worker of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M]. Our house was constantly visited by party workers and the atmosphere was always conducive to politics," she says. Saleeka plunged into formal electoral politics when the seat of president in a block panchayat (village council) in Palakkad district was reserved for women and she won it.
Commenting on the status of Muslim women in Kerala, she says, "To be a Muslim woman in Kerala is not as difficult as it is in some other states. Here Muslim women have a very high literacy rate, unlike in other states." Saleeka was content with being a member of the zilla parishad, but her husband's death changed things dramatically. "For a widow, things are never easy. My family members opposed my move to participate in the Kerala assembly elections. However, my children supported me to the hilt and that gave me a lot of confidence."
Saleeka is now an MLA from the Sreekrishnapuram constituency. "My seat was not reserved for women. I won from a general seat," she says with pride.
While Saleeka managed to get elected to the legislative assembly with the support of the CPI (M) and loved ones, Nazma Bibi, also a participant at the AIDWA meet, wasn't so fortunate.
Today, Nazma, who is in her early thirties, lives under constant threat from the people of her village in Orissa. All she wanted was to live peacefully with her husband. But that was not to be. She and her husband spent around seven years, fighting for the right to live as a married couple under the same roof.
Only hope has given Ahmedabad resident and riot victim, Shakeela Begum, who is in her early forties, the strength to keep trying to file an FIR against the police for harassment during the 2002 Gujarat riots. It has been six long years. She is still trying. Shakeela now thinks that only divine intervention can help her.
Says this resident of Ramol, Ahmedabad, "The police just descended without provocation and went on a beating spree. But I have not been able to file a police complaint - they just don't allow us to do so." All the while as she narrates her tragic tale, Shakeela's face remains passive. But when asked if she feels bitter towards the system, she breaks down just thinking of the Herculean task of seeking justice. "How many people can I blame?" she asks.
Shakeela is not in a position to work as she too sustained injuries during the riots and so now spends all her time taking care of her ailing son. Her husband and two other sons, who were in school during the riots had to drop out because of financial problems, now work as labourers. The family lives on their meagre incomes. She has already spent Rs 900,000 (US$ I =Rs 42.7) on her son's treatment and is in need of more funds.
Courtesy: Women's Feature Service/NewsNetwork
K.S. Saleeka, the only Muslim MLA from Kerala who fulfilled her political ambitions despite family opposition, Orissa's Nazma Bibi, who challenged religious diktat to remain married to her husband, and Gujarat riot victim, Shakeela Begum, who has been trying for six years to file an FIR against the police, are just some of the inspiring women who took part in the convention.
The 33 per cent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj paved the way for K.S. Saleeka's political career. Currently, she is the only female Muslim Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Kerala. Saleeka, 46, has an unassuming demeanour for an MLA, but she exudes confidence and she talks passionately about women's rights and Muslim women's issues.
She came to politics after her marriage. "My husband was a party worker of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M]. Our house was constantly visited by party workers and the atmosphere was always conducive to politics," she says. Saleeka plunged into formal electoral politics when the seat of president in a block panchayat (village council) in Palakkad district was reserved for women and she won it.
Commenting on the status of Muslim women in Kerala, she says, "To be a Muslim woman in Kerala is not as difficult as it is in some other states. Here Muslim women have a very high literacy rate, unlike in other states." Saleeka was content with being a member of the zilla parishad, but her husband's death changed things dramatically. "For a widow, things are never easy. My family members opposed my move to participate in the Kerala assembly elections. However, my children supported me to the hilt and that gave me a lot of confidence."
Saleeka is now an MLA from the Sreekrishnapuram constituency. "My seat was not reserved for women. I won from a general seat," she says with pride.
While Saleeka managed to get elected to the legislative assembly with the support of the CPI (M) and loved ones, Nazma Bibi, also a participant at the AIDWA meet, wasn't so fortunate.
Today, Nazma, who is in her early thirties, lives under constant threat from the people of her village in Orissa. All she wanted was to live peacefully with her husband. But that was not to be. She and her husband spent around seven years, fighting for the right to live as a married couple under the same roof.
Only hope has given Ahmedabad resident and riot victim, Shakeela Begum, who is in her early forties, the strength to keep trying to file an FIR against the police for harassment during the 2002 Gujarat riots. It has been six long years. She is still trying. Shakeela now thinks that only divine intervention can help her.
Says this resident of Ramol, Ahmedabad, "The police just descended without provocation and went on a beating spree. But I have not been able to file a police complaint - they just don't allow us to do so." All the while as she narrates her tragic tale, Shakeela's face remains passive. But when asked if she feels bitter towards the system, she breaks down just thinking of the Herculean task of seeking justice. "How many people can I blame?" she asks.
Shakeela is not in a position to work as she too sustained injuries during the riots and so now spends all her time taking care of her ailing son. Her husband and two other sons, who were in school during the riots had to drop out because of financial problems, now work as labourers. The family lives on their meagre incomes. She has already spent Rs 900,000 (US$ I =Rs 42.7) on her son's treatment and is in need of more funds.
Courtesy: Women's Feature Service/NewsNetwork