Social welfare minister Parveen Amanullah and (right) Ambpali president Archana Singh at the workshop at AN Sinha library on Saturday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, Feb. 12: Women’s reservation bill might still be pending in Parliament for approval but that hasn’t deterred women from joining politics and taking up administrative roles.

A workshop saluting the Indian women for their courage and determination was organised by NGO Ambpali and National Women Commission in the state capital today.

The workshop, inaugurated by social welfare minister Parveen Amanullah on the premises of AN Sinha library, dealt with the issues of women empowerment in politics.

Speaking at the function, Amanullah said: “Women are not weaker than men in any field, be it politics, business or sports. They have made their name in every field, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with their male counterparts. Our constitution gives equal status to all citizens. Women representatives in power have been more progressive and development-oriented than men.”

Encouraging women to chase their dreams, Amanullah said: “Women shall not restrict or limit themselves in any field. Yes I agree there are bigger hurdles but you should not hesitate to face it. Women are very much active in the field of politics and that is why 34 women MLAs have won in the recent concluded Bihar Assembly polls.”

Referring to the 50 per cent reservation given to women in panchayat elections by the Nitish Kumar government, Amanullah said: “A revolution has started in the state. Power has been bestowed on women and now they have to prove themselves. The women panchayat representatives will have to ensure that the benefits of welfare schemes launched by the state government exclusively for women reach the targeted recipients.”

Ramdeo Prasad, secretary, Child Labour Commission, said: “Today women are carving a niche in every field, including those which were entirely male-dominated,but still they have to fight against illiteracy, poverty and the caste system at the grassroots level to become more active in politics.”

Senior advocate of Patna High Court Renuka Sharma said: “Many women politicians find it difficult to participate in politics in an effective manner. There is a need to analyse the role that women play in Indian politics. Domestic responsibi-lities, lack of financial clout, growing criminalisation of politics and the threat of character assassination have made it increasingly difficult for women to be part of the political framework.”

Talking about the difficulties of women in politics, Archana Singh, chairperson of Ambpali, said: “Women politicians point out that even within the political parties, women are rarely found in positions of leadership. Women also face hardships while taking decisions. Their kin, especially husband, brother or son, interfere a lot and do not allow them to take decisions.”

Pushpa Singh, co-ordinator, Ambpali, Bihar, said: “The workshop is intended to orient women regarding their role in politics. It is to make them understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens and also to motivate women to actively take part in politics.”