Role Women Members Played in the Constituent Assembly

Syllabus: GS1/ Modern India, GS2/Polity and Governance

Context

• On Constitution Day (November 26), President Droupadi Murmu recalled the role women members played in the Constituent Assembly.

About

• The 299-member Assembly had 15 women members, including prominent figures such as Sarojini Naidu, Sucheta Kripalani, and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit. 
• But it also had lesser-known women from diverse backgrounds who participated in debates on gender, caste and reservations.

Contribution by Women in the Constituent Assembly

• Ammu Swaminathan (1894-1978): She contested Central Legislative Assembly elections on a Congress ticket from Madras in 1945 and then became a member of the Constituent Assembly.
  • She strongly opposed the restrictions imposed on widows, such as shaving the head and renouncing jewellery, after seeing her mother’s experience. 
• Annie Mascarene (1902-1963): She was born in Trivandrum (now Thiruvananthapuram) in a Latin Christian family, considered to be at the lowest rung of the caste system. Despite her social status, she went on to study and teach law.
  • She actively campaigned for a government based on a universal adult franchise.
• Begum Qudsia Aizaz Rasul (1909-2001): Despite being part of the Muslim League, she was among the few members opposing separate electorates based on religion. Her views on the idea of Pakistan were more complex.
• Dakshayani Velayudhan (1912-1978): She was the first Dalit woman to graduate in science in Cochin (now Kochi) and the first Dalit woman in the Cochin Legislative Council.
  • She disagreed with Ambedkar on the need for separate electorates, saying the provision went against nationalism.
• Renuka Ray (1904-1997): A meeting with Gandhi in 1920 led her to quit college and join the freedom struggle, where she went door-to-door to raise awareness.
  • She represented women’s organisations in the Central Legislative Assembly in 1943 and then became a member of the Constituent Assembly.
• Rajkumari Amrit Kaur: The first Health Minister of independent India, she was also a member of the Constituent Assembly.
  • She was deeply involved in the discussions on social welfare, healthcare, and education, with a focus on women’s health and social issues.
• Kamla Devi: A noted social reformer and freedom fighter, also participated in the Constituent Assembly.
  • She was an advocate for women’s rights, particularly in areas of education, social reform, and the empowerment of women.
• Muthulakshmi Reddi: She worked on issues related to the rights of women, including the legal reforms concerning marriage and divorce.

Significance of Women Participation in Constituent Assembly

• The inclusion of women in the Constituent Assembly signaled the recognition of women as equal partners in the democratic process and nation-building.
• They advocated for Women’s Rights and Social Justice.
• Advocated for the inclusion of gender equality in the Constitution with the Article 14, 15 and 42.
• The Hindu Code Bill, which sought to provide equal rights to women in marriage, divorce, inheritance, and property, was influenced by the ongoing discussions and activism by women leaders.

Source: IE