Rising People’s Party (RPP), a newly floated political party in the state, has objected to the proposed consultative meeting convened by the state government on August 18, 2021, saying not a single woman has been invited to the “so-called” consultative meeting, which would, among other issues, discuss the women reservation in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
In a press release, Dr. Abeny Khuvung and Amai Chingkhu of RPP stated that discussion on women reservation without women participation was “inconceivable”.
Urging the PDA government to understand that women reservation was a complex subject, which political parties and CSOs were ill-equipped to handle, the RPP has suggested PDA government to host an all-women consultative meet on the issue where the NMA, ENWO and their units, and professional and career women from different fields could also be invited.
The party lamented that 14 Naga tribes along with chief minister, deputy chief minister, NLA speaker, ministers and advisors, and the chief secretary—all men or representing the menfolk—were “apparently deciding the fate of women in Naga politics” and yet, the manner in which the issue is being dealt with cannot be more chauvinistic.”
Further, asserting that Naga woman in politics was “perhaps the most important issue right now”, the RPP said the PDA government, given the background, should have addressed the issue more sensitively.
It said that unless some of the best minds such as scholars, academicians, and think-tanks were involved in the discussion, any number of consultative meetings on reservation for women in Naga politics would not bear the desired results. “Or perhaps the whole purpose of the 18th August meeting is to ram through some PDA agenda?” RPP said.
The party also expressed regret that the government “as usual” has “conveniently excluded both the Kuki and Kachari tribes”.