Mahabubabad: Warning doesn't work, civic body doesn't mend

Mahabubabad: Not only do old habits die hard, they may never die at all. Despite repeated calls not to interfere in the affairs of law houses, husbands of women councillors continue to attend council meetings on behalf of their spouses. This is no strange phenomenon almost everywhere in the country. Telangana had become the first State to provide 50 per cent reservation for women in all local bodies in 2020 to empower them. However, the very concept of empowering women has always been nullified by the spouses of the representatives.

It may be recalled here that on Sunday, the Minister who noticed the majority of councillors' husbands attending the Bathukamma saree distribution programme on behalf of their spouses cautioned them not to repeat such a scenario. Stating that interference of spouses will not be entertained in the civic bodies, he also directed the District Collector K Shashanka to take action against those who break the rules.

However, a day after Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao's stern warning to the spouses of councillors, there was no change in the situation at the general body meeting of the Thorrur municipality on Monday. As usual the women councillors attended the general body meeting along with their spouses. The husbands of wanted to stay at the council meeting. Further, they said that it wasn't a new phenomenon. Some of them even told the Municipal chairman M Ramachandraiah to send the media persons who were covering the meeting.

"Although the population of male and females is by and large equal, the social fabric of the world is dominated by males. Equitable growth and gender equality, especially in politics, is a myth. Unfortunately, the whole country is yet to acknowledge the role of women in the law houses and we are no different," senior CPM Mahabubabad district leader Bollam Ashok told The Hans India. In fact, the majority of women councillors have nothing to do with active politics. They just happened to enter politics due to their spouses or other family members who were unable to contest due to women reservation, he said.