Gurukul International

A Historical Study Of Women’s Participation In Indian Politics In Pre-Independence Era
 
Dr. Samiparna Rakshit
Assistant Professor
HOD, Department of History
Vijaygarh Jyotish Ray College
Pin-700032
Kolkata, West Bengal
Email Id: samiparna2701@gmail.com
WhatsApp No. 8100375582
 
Abstract:
The term ‘political participation’ has a very wide meaning. It is not only related to ‘Right to Vote’, but simultaneously relates to participation in decision-making process, political activism, political consciousness. It also means apart from exercising the right to vote, power sharing, membership of political parties, electoral campaigning, attending party meetings, holding party positions, contesting elections, co-decision making, co-policy making at all levels of governance of the state. In a nutshell, it is a process through which individual plays a role in political life deciding the common goals of the society and determining the best way to achieve it. Political participation is a function of numerous variables, but the nature of all these variables is dependent on the political climate of a country. Politicization and participation of women in a country will necessarily depend on the overall political situation. In our country, there are certain factors which favour politicization and participation of women in political life. The background of the freedom struggles, especially during the Gandhian era, was very conducive to this process. After independence, different political parties, for reasons best known to them, did not continue this healthy trend. Politics became more and more a business for ‘men only’.[i]The current paper will trace the women’s participation in the pre independence era and try to bring out the nuances of women’s contribution towards their current status in the decision-making process from historical perspective. The paper will also throw some light on the current situation faced by women in Indian politics and bring out the reasons behind it as well as some solutions to overcome this disheartening situation of women in politics.

Keywords: Political participation, Women Status in Decision Making Process