The Female Trinity in India-Similarities and Differences

THIS PAPER IS MOTIVATED BY SUNIL ALAGH’S ARTICLE IN MIDDLE PAGE OF TOI ON 23-02-2012

The Female Trinity in India-Similarities and Differences

In Indian Politics circa 2011 there exists a female trinity of CM’s with firsts-Mayawati(Bhenji)-The first Dalit-Woman CM of any state in India, Mamta Bannerjee(Didi) and Jayalalitha(Amma)-the first elected female chief ministers of their respective states.But there exists certain syndromes prevalent with all of them in their respective States.

 In the case of Mayawati there is what is called EPS(Eva Peron Syndrome)-I adorn riches to represent the poor.The fact that she is regarded as a symbol of dignity and political aspiration among lowewr castes in Uttar Pradesh is well known, what is also interesting is that she has built an alliance with the upper castes. Her party the BSP won a majority in the 2007 elections, her first such majority since 1991.Mayawati managed to attract support from a number of communities in these elections.She represented to this economically backward state a vision of empowerment to all.She selected candidates representative of the Brahmins, Thakurs,Muslims as well as other backward communities thus providing a common platform for the regionally dispersed but numerically significant backward communities as well as giving representation to the upper castes.What is further interesting is that she continues to be the darling of the oppressed classes while indulging in ostentatious celebrations on her birthday and allegedly having assets disproportionate to her income.

The conclusion of all this is the Eva Peron Syndrome-the diamonds that I adorn are to represent the poor.Even Ambedkar wore a three piece suit to become more acceptable to the upper castes.In UP the crying need is social acceptance of the lower castyes and she plays on this.

Mamta Bannerjee is cashing in on Poor Person Syndrome.In Bengal the issue is economic and intellectuial.The poor must not be exploited so she wears simple clothes/chappals and becomes one of them in their movement,known as “ didi”, she is a firebrand orator, this is well known, she is successful because she epitomizes the ‘simple living-high thinking’ motto of the Bengali People. Throughout her political life she maintained an austere lifestyle and never spent money on clothes, cosmetics and jewellery and slung a cotton bag on her shoulder. She has remained single throughout her life. A Masters in Islamic History, she can be considered intellectually a rung higher than Bhenji. Her success in WB politics is a contradiction of sorts, while she epitomioses the rif-raff in politics she also channelizes the “free intellectual” spirit of the Bengali People.

Controversial “deeds” of Mamta Bannerjee-

·         She was a College-going adult in the mid-1970s when politics in Bengal had begun to accommodate the riffraff. Uninhibited, she jumped up and danced on the bonnet of Jaiprakash Narayan's car.

·         At a private rally at Alipore in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee wrapped a black shawl around her neck and threatened to make a noose with it.

·         In July 1996, she squatted at the well of Lok Sabha to protest against the hike in petroleum price, though she was a part of the Government. In that very time she clasped the coller of Amar singh, MP of Samajwadi Party, in the well of the parliament. In February 1997, on the day of railway budget presentation in Lok Sabha, Mamata Banerjee threw her shawl at the railway minister Ram Vilas Paswan for ignoring West Bengal and announced her resignation

·         On 11 December 1998, she controversially held a Samajwadi Party MP, Daroga Prasad Saroj, by the collar and dragged him out of the well of the Lok Sabha to prevent him from protesting against the Women's Reservation bill.

·         On 20 October 2005, she protested against the forceful land acquisition and the atrocities on local farmers in the name of industrial development policy of the Buddhadev Bhattacharya government in West Bengal. Benny Santoso, CEO of the Indonesia-based Salim Group had pledged a large investment to West Bengal, and the West Bengal government had given him farmland in Howrah, sparking protest. Despite soaking rain, Mamata and other Trinamool Congress members stood in front of the Taj Hotel where Santoso had arrived, shut out by the police. Later, she and supporters followed Santoso's convoy

·         On 4 August 2006, she hurled her resignation paper at the deputy speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in Lok Sabha. The provocation was the speaker's (Somnath Catterjee) rejection of her adjournment motion on illegal infiltration by Bangladeshi's in West Bengal. 

·         In November 2006, Mamata Banerjee was forcibly stopped on her way to Singur for a rally against a proposed Tata Motors car project. Mamata reached the West Bengal assembly and protested at the venue

In Conclusion her success in Bengal Politics is a speciality of Bengali characteristics, she is a woman, austere to a remarkable extent, living in very simple circumstances, always willing to bring her and others emotions to a boil, despite representing the rif raff in politics she appeals to the intellectual spirit of the Bengali people.

Jayalalitha-The Secret of her success-She is known as ‘Amma’ and as Puratcchi Thalaivi-Revolutionary Leader.The secret of her success is her larger than life image and her Queen like behavior which is ridiculously arrogant by conventional standards.This goes well with the spirit of Tamil Nadu which encourages hero worship.She represents the MAS-Maharani Amma Syndrome-The Maharani will take care of her subjects from an exalted position.

Landmark”events”of Jayalalitha’s life-

 It wasn’t easy to step into the shoes of a man revered as ‘God’ by his supporters, but she did so with fortitude, fighting all the way “the crude, male-centric, sexist politics” of Tamil Nadu. In about 500 pages and 25 chapters, Tamil writer and journalist Vaasanthi portrays Jayalalitha’s journey with the empathy of a woman. Here we enlist some important teling events of Jayalalitha’s life

·         The budget session of the assembly in 1989 was a turning point for Jayalalitha. As an opposition leader, she said Karunanidhi had no moral right to be CM. All hell broke loose and she was manhandled, with some DMK members allegedly trying to pull at her pallu. There are photographs of her with dishevelled hair and tears in her eyes.

·         There was always this fear inside her that without MGR she was a nobody. She had been terrified of being alienated from him, but now she had overcome her fears. This led to overconfidence and made her go berserk during her first term as chief minister. The gigantic cut-outs, people falling at her feet, the controversial wedding of her foster son, the scams—all this happened during her first term. 

·         After she had faced humiliation in the assembly, she acquired the image of a wronged woman and used it to effect. During the next election in 1991, she told people that Karunanidhi was a Duryodhana and there was a Dusshasana among the legislators who had tried to disrobe her. The electorate responded by giving her a thumping majority. 

·         Her first term as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu resulted in several legal actions being brought against her, mainly involving charges of embezzlement and monetary fraud.

·         Survivor Queen-She once described her feelings with passion during an election campaign: “I stand before you having come swimming in the fire of life.”

Conclusions for TRIMURTI-Thus in a poor state like UP, one among us , yet above us-Bhenji, In an intellectual state like WB-free uncompromising-didi and in hero worshipping TN-Godess Amma.

Thus India is not one when it comes to elections.Success depends on local aspirations.Inspite of the similarities between the three

-single woman

-Individual based and led parties

-Control Freaks

Authoritarian leadership

They have limitations towards becoming national leaders.They would find it difiucult to win in each others states….Why?Whereas Maya and Jaya can afford to be corrupt Mamata has to be free of any stains.Mamata would be considered too much of a common person in UP or TN where the leader Nehru, Rahul Baba or Bhenji needs to be somewhat above same goes for TN.Though all three states need oratory, it is firebrand intellectualism in Bengal and Theatrics in TN.Masya aims to turn UP to Uttam Pradesh, tries to reform reservations and recruitment, thus in the “chaupal” like spirit of UP must be seen to atleast want to bring about a change , in TN and West Bengal, aiming for nothing short of revolution will do, although what happens in reality is a different matter.In UP the PMR-Poor Mans Revolution, In West Bengal the Thinking Mans Revolution and in TN The Leaders own Revolution.

Whilst at the macro level economic growth, national security, minority protection etc will play a key role, at a state level it is this micro analysis of inner need that will swing elections.They must perceive you to be the source of power that will uplift them physically and emotionally from their respective doldrum….