INDIAN POLITICAL PARTIES CYNICALLY WOO WOMEN VOTERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 001345 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/INS, DRL, G/IWI E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2018 TAGS: PGOV KWMN KDEM PHUM PREL KIRF IN SUBJECT: INDIAN POLITICAL PARTIES CYNICALLY WOO WOMEN VOTERS Classified By: PolCouns Ted Osius for reasons 1.4 (B,D) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On May 6, amid chaos in the Rajya Sabha, the UPA government introduced the Women's Reservation Bill, which would reserve 33 percent of all seats for women in Parliament and the state assemblies. In an effort to appeal to women voters before a slew of state elections and national elections in 2009, the Bharatiya Jana4a Party (BJP),the Left, and the Congress Party uncharacteristically banded together to ensure the bill was introduced before the house adjourned. Fierce and at times physical opposition came from the Samajwadi Party, the Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, all of whom believe a sub-quota should be established for the Other Backward Castes (OBC) and Muslim women within this reservation. Antagonism from these political parties could pose damaging consequences for political alliances, with the RJD already threatening to pull support from the UPA coalition. As voters prepare to go to the polls, national and state-level results could reveal whether reservations for women prove a stronger vote getter than reservations for lower castes and Muslims. The BJP is already counting heavily on this notion, introducing legislation in states it rules to create reserved seats for women. The UPA is now trying to show that it is catching up at the Center, although all parties have played cynical games with this bill or similar legislation for a dozen years. End Summary. Drama For Your Mama -------------- ¶2. (SBU) For twelve years, the Women's Reservation Bill, which would set aside 33 percent of the seats in Parliament and state legislative assemblies for women has faced intense opposition, with this year being no different. On May 6, with the uncharacteristic support of the three major political parties, the Congress Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left, the controversial women's reservation bill was yet again introduced in the Rajya Sabha. ¶3. (SBU) Despite Congress Party preparations to allay the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RDJ) from staging vocal protest during the bill's introduction, unruly scenes instigated by the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) gained prominent placement on TV news channels. When Congress Law Minister H.R. Bhardwaj rose to introduce the bill, SP Member of Parliament (MP) Abu Azim Azmi began moving toward Bhardwaj in what appeared to be an attempt to snatch the bill from his hands and tear it up -- which has happened on previous occasions when other governments tried to introduce the bill. Anticipating this situation, Congress Party MPs had formed a protective cordon around Bhardwaj and situated various women MPs near SP and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) MPs who are known opponents to the bill. When Azmi continued to move forward, Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Choudhary and MP Panabaka Lakshmi physically held him back. Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan also put herself physically in between Azmi and Bhardwaj. Frustrated SP MPs began yelling slogans, tearing up copies of the day's agenda, and throwing the shreds onto the house floor. In the midst of this brouhaha, the bill was effectively introduced. Caste Cauldron -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The women's reservation bill has triggered intense opposition from Other Backward Castes (OBCs),who do not support legislative that would set aside benefits solely for the purpose of gender equity. The SP, RDJ, and JD(U) have vowed to block the bill in its current format as a result. They see the legislation, as it stands, without sub-quotas for OBCs and Muslim women as a "conspiracy" to cut into what electoral gains they have been able to achieve without special allocations. They fear that upper caste women will NEW DELHI 00001345 002 OF 003 win a majority of the proposed reserved seats and cut into the same pieces of the political pie which they have been working to access. The bill, per the Constitution, already provides for a sub-quota for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, but OBC leaders want to be included as well. However, OBC inclusion would violate the Constitution, which does not allow for religion or caste allowances in legislation except in the case of previously untouchable categories of citizens. Tearing Apart Coalitions -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Sentiments are so strong on the issue of women's reservations that the RJD has threatened to withdraw support from the UPA government on this single matter. Referencing the possible collapse of the UPA coalition when the Congress Party considered moving forward with the India-U.S. civil nuclear deal, RJD leaders cautioned the government, "this bill could cost the government more dearly than the India-U.S. nuclear deal." The RJD, with 24 MPs in the Lok Sabha, has been a trusted ally and stood solidly behind the Congress Party through tough times, including the controversy over the civil-nuclear deal. ¶6. (SBU) The alliance between the SP and the Left is also significantly strained on the issue of women's reservations. The issue has caused so much strain that the SP has said if the Left moves forward with this bill, it might re-think its opposition to the nuclear deal, its indifference towards the atrocities in Nandigram, and its stand on China's crackdown on Tibet. ¶7. (SBU) The JD(U),usually allied with the BJP, has also said it will re-think its alliance with the NDA if the legislation moves forward without amendments to address its concerns. Mayawati Trying to Outdo Everyone -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Not to be outdone as a representative for women, Mayawati suggested that instead of 33 percent, the reservation should be for 50 percent of all seats in Parliament and state legislative assemblies. Women are, after all, half of the population, she reportedly said. Note: Women may be half the Indian population today, but the relentless spread of female feticide in many parts of the country could materially affect that balance over the next 20 years. End Note. Women's Groups React -------------- ¶9. (C) Women's Political Watch Executive Director Veena Nayyar told POLOFF her assessment of this sudden tri-party push for the women's reservation bill. She expressed her belief that each party is vying for the woman vote bank and she doubts that this legislation is symbolic of a thoughtful acceptance of women's empowerment. She did, however, express pride in the demonstrations and marches that women's groups were collectively able to organize. Publicly, women's organizations have been very pleased with the cross-party support which allowed introduction to happen, however they all are skeptical that the bill will actually pass. Comment: Political Appeasement or Real Political Representation -------------- ¶10. (C) In a rare display of solidarity and a shared desire to appear to do something for women without actually doing anything, the Congress Party, the Left, and the BJP came together around a legislative priority. The newspapers showed unusual photos of senior communist party leader Brinda Karat holding hands with senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj. NEW DELHI 00001345 003 OF 003 However, it is difficult to view this move as anything but political posturing and vying for women as a vote bank. In reality, if these parties wanted to uphold the interests of women and ensure they are equally represented, each party could commit to running women as half of their candidates without making any changes in the law. For these large parties, however, their coalitions are more important than this legislation, which will likely not get passed in this Parliament either. End Comment. MULFORD