enss padyatra report

8/14/2019 Enss Padyatra Report

1/14

DhamitoShimla

ASingleWomansMarchforJustice

AreportbyFrameWorksResearchandMediaCollective(2008)


2/14

AspertheCensusfiguresof2001,thereareabouttwolakhtwentyninethousandwidowsinHimachalPradeshandovereightthousanddivorcees.

Therecouldbemanymoresuchwomenwhoarenotlistedintheseofficial

estimates.Theserecordsalsodonottakeintoaccountalargenumberofwomen

whomay

have

been

abandoned

by

their

husbands

or

others

who

may

have

remainedunmarried(beyondtheageof40).Today,someofthesesinglewomen

haveorganizedthemselvesthroughEkalNariShaktiSangathan(ENSS)inorder

tohighlighttheirissuesinthepublicdomain.ENSSwasfoundedin2005with

supportfromSocietyforSocialUpliftThroughRuralAction(SUTRA),acivil

societyorganizationthathasbeenworkingforoverthreedecadesonissuesof

genderandlocalselfgovernanceatthegrassrootslevelinHimachalPradesh.

Ruralsinglewomenarethemostmarginalizedsectionofsociety,lackingany

formofsocial,economicorpoliticalsupport.Mostofthesewomen,onceleft

bytheirhusbandsorwidowed,havenootherchoicebuttoreturntotheir

parentshomes.Inordertoavoidcostsofalimonyormaintenance,neithera

legalsettlementnorproperdivorceproceedingsarefollowedincasesoffailed

marriages. Evictedfromtheirmatrimonialhomes,awomansshareinthe

propertyorassetsofthehusbandsfamilyisneveracknowledged.Inmany

cases,theirnamesarestruckoffthefamilyregistersintheirinlawsPanchayats.

Sincetheyarenotofficiallydivorcedorseparated,reenlistingthemselvesinthe

Panchayatsoftheirparentalvillagebecomesdifficult.Completelydependenton

theirnatalhomesthatarealreadystrainedforresources,ruralsinglewomenare

forcedinto

becoming

social

and

economic

liabilities.

A

few

of

these

women

who

havepursuedlegalbattlestoclaimtheirrightshavebecometrappedinthe

tediumoflawsuits,erodingwhateverisleftoftheirscantresources.Forthose

whoarenotlegallyrecognized,availingthebenefitsofgovernmentschemesfor

singlewomenbecomesimpossible.Giventheprejudiceagainstsinglewomen,

creatinglivelihoodstosupportthemselvesandtheirchildrenisastruggle.

EkalNariShaktiSangathanseekstoprovideaplatformtobringtheneedsand

issuesofsinglewomentothefore.Today,about6,053womenofHimachal

Pradesh

are

an

integral

part

of

the

Sangathan.

The

Sangathan

has

spread

its

membershipbasethroughlocalNonGovernmentalOrganisationsworkingin

differentdistrictsofHimachalPradesh.BesidesaStateLevelCoordinator,

variousdistrictshavetheirowncoordinatorswhobringsinglewomentogether

forcounseling,legalaid,meetingsanddiscussions.Allthecoordinatorsand

volunteersmeetonceamonthtochartoutfuturestrategiesandplansofthe

Sangathan.AllofficebearersofENSSthemselvessingle,drawontheirown


3/14

personalexperienceandstruggles,toguideotherwomenwhomaybeinsimilar

circumstancestoday.

Forfourteenmonthsafterhermarriage,Hardeisufferedextremephysicalabuseand

mentaltrauma,asherhusbandandmother in lawwouldbeatherupbadlyonthe

smallestofpretexts.Often,bruisedandcoveredinblood,Hardeiwouldseekhelpfrom

otherfamiliesinthevillagebuttheyremainedtacitobservers.Noonecameforwardto

protectherorinterveneonherbehalf.Whenherfirstchildwasbornagirl,thingsbecame

worseforher.Finally,amonthafterthebirthofherchild,Hardeiwalkedoutofthehouse

onenight,drapedinblood emotionallyshatteredanddefeated,andhadnochoicebutto

returntoherparentshouse.Eversince,Hardeihasdoneallkindsofoddjobssoastonot

overburdenherfamilywithherresponsibilities.

In2005,HardeibecameamemberofENSS.Meetingotherwomenlikeher,readingand

talkingaboutthestatusofsinglewomenandmeetingvariousvolunteersandcivilsociety

membershelpedherbuildanunderstandingofherentitlementsandrightsasasingle

woman.Whileteachingsewingtootheryounggirlsinhervillage,Hardeiwouldadvise

themonmarriage,theirrights,howtostandupinthefaceofviolence thingsshehad

sufferedinsilenceonce.Today,HardeiisanactivememberoftheSangathan Myfather

sometimetellsmethatIhavetoomuchkranti(revolution)inmenow,shesayswith

pride.ButItellhimthatatleastyoucanwalkwithyourheadheldhighbecauseofme.

Thereisnothingintheworldnowthatsheisafraidof,saysHardei,andshewantsher

daughter now10yearsold,tomakeherown,informedchoicesinlife.Marriage,she

feels,caneitherbeheavenorhell,dependingonhowonewantstomouldtherelationship.

Throughherstruggles,Hardeihasemergedasastrongpillarofsupportformanyother

womenintheSangathantoday.


4/14

About3000singlewomenfromninedistrictsofHimachalPradeshundertookapadyatrafromDhamitotheState

capital,Shimlafromthe1sttothe

3rdofApril2008.Theobjectiveof

thethree

day

padyatra

was

to

createawarenessaboutissues

affectingsinglewomenandto

impressuponthegovernment,

theneedtoformulate

appropriatepoliciesthatcould

addresstheirproblems.Rather

thanpatronage,ENSSdemandsa

policyapproachthatsafeguards

therightsofsinglewomen.Throughthepadyatra,ENSSputforwardsomeof

theirmaindemandsbeforetheState

Foroldersinglewomen,SocialSecurityPensionpolicyshouldbeframed

ontheprincipleof`inclusiveness,whichmeanseverysinglewoman

shouldbeentitledtoSocialSecurityPension(exceptthosewhohave

alternatesourcesofpension/salaryorareIncomeTaxpayers);

Thosesinglewomenwhoarefightingtosecuretheirrightsvisvistheir

in lawsfamily,shouldbeprovidedwithfreelegalaidandtheircases

mustbe

referred

to

fast

track

courts.

Also,

the

spouses

of

all

single

women

whoarenotpayingthemaintenanceamountasdecreedbyeitherthe

grampanchayatsorthecivilcourts,shouldbelegallychallengedthrough

fasttrackcourts;

TheStateshouldensurethat2acresoflandisgrantedonalongterm

lease(fromthegovernmentssurpluslandpool)toalleconomicallyweak

singlewomenwhoarecapableandeagertoworkasselfemployed

farmers;

Everysinglewomanshouldbeprovidedwithhealthcarefacilitiesfrom

theprimarytothetertiarylevel,freeofcost.


5/14

Inordertosensitisethe governmentabouttheirdemands,ENSSsent

variousmemorandumsand petitionstotheStategovernmentmuchbefore

the padyatrawasundertaken.WhentheStateLegislativeAssembly

electionsweredeclaredinNovemberDecember2007inHimachalPradesh,

ENSSstrategicallyusedthisopportunitytomainstreamtheirdemandsinto

the electionmanifestosofvariouspoliticalpartiesandaccordinglyreleased

the Manifestoofthe Vulnerable,projectingthe problemsfacedbysingle

women.Presentingsuchamanifestowasararemove,muchappreciatedby

the peopleandforcingthe politicalcandidatestotakenoticeand pledge

theirassurancetoworkfor the issue.Afterthe elections,ENSSdecidedto

carryonwiththe padyatratoShimla,inordertopressurisethe newly

electedmemberstorespondtotheirdemands.

Carefulplanninganddiscussions,monthsinadvance,wentintotheorganisation

ofthis

padyatra.

ENSS

coordinators

and

volunteers

held

extensive

meetings

with

theirgroupsindifferentpartsofthestate,outliningtherationalebehindthe

yatratoSangathanmembersandmotivatingthemtoparticipate.Bygenerating

awarenessaboutissuesthattheSangathanstoodfor,thewomengathered

supportfromothercommunitymembersintheirrespectivevillages,who

extendedwhateverhelptheycouldmonetarilyorinkind.Localpolitical

leadersandPanchayatPradhansalsogavedonationswhileafewprivate

transporterschargedminimalratesfor theirservices.Kanta,anENSS

memberfromUna,recalledhowaCIDofficialcametoinquireaboutthe

forthcoming

padyatra

on

being

intimated

about

it.

Instead

of

offering

justification,KantaexplainedtheSangathansobjectiveandvisionbehindthe

padyatratohim.NotonlydidtheofficialhimselfgiveacontributionofRs100

fortheyatra,thefollowingdaythelocalpolicestationputtogetheradonationof

Rs500tosupportthecause.AlltheunitsofENSSraisedenoughfundsthrough

publiccontributionsthatwereusedforthejourneyfromtheirrespectiveareasto

Dhami,theplacewheretheyatrabegan.OthersupportersofENSS activists,

organizationslikeChristianAid,OXFAM,SWISSAID,The HungerProjectand

individualsfromCanada,partsofEuropeandtheUnitedStatesofAmericaalso

gavedonationsthatmadethepadyatrapossible.

Howeverthereweremanychallengesontheway.Vestedinterests,inanattempt

toweakenthemoraleofthewomen,spreadvariouskindsofrumoursregarding

theforthcomingpadyatra fromspreadingstoriesabouthowtheyatriswouldbe

bombedatShimlatohowifawomanpanchayatmemberparticipatedinthe

yatra,allfinancialaidtoherpanchayatwouldbestopped.SomelocalMLAs,ina

bidtodividethestrengthoftheSangathancarriedoutvillagetovillage


6/14

campaignsagainstthepadyatra.FromwithintheSangathan,someENSSgroups

feltthatsendingawomensdelegationtoShimlainsteadofconductingtheyatra,

wouldbeabetteralternative.DisagreementsonthiswiththelargerSangathan

membersledtosuchENSSunitsdroppingoutoftheyatra.Despitethese

obstacles,theSangathanwasfirminitsresolveofmarchingtoShimlatopresent

theCharterofDemandstothegovernment.Morethan3,000singlewomen

enrolledforthepadyatra.

AfewmembersoftheSangathansurveyedthedesignatedroutepriortothe

yatratolocateplaceswherethewomencouldbeaccommodated.Giventhe

mountainousterrain,itwasdifficulttofindlarge,flatgroundswheresuchahigh

numberofpadyatriscouldbeputup.ThevillagePanchayatsenrouteDhamito

Shimlawereextremelyhelpful theyallocatedpanchayat/anganwadigroundsfor

thepadyatris,andlocalcommunitymembershelpedinmakingfood,security

andother

such

arrangements

for

the

women

during

the

stay

in

their

village.

NehruYuvaKendragroupsofthesevillagesofferedvaluableassistanceand

helpedinsmootheningoutlogisticaldifficultiesthatwereboundtoarisein

coordinatingmorethan2000women.


7/14

AnewspaperreportinalocalHindidailyontheeveofthePadyatra


8/14

Aneighty yearoldwoman;ayoungmotherwithhertenmontholdson,abandonedbyherhusband;another,barelytwentyandalreadyawidowmany

singlewomenofvaryingagegroupsfromdifferentdistrictsofHimachalPradesh

congregatedin

Dhami

on

the

evening

of

the

31st,

determined

in

their

resolve

to

beginthemarchtoShimlathenextday.Manyofthewomenwhochoseto

participateinthepadyatramanagetheirhouseholdssinglehandedandtheyhad

madearrangementsfortheirfamilymembersyoungchildrenorageing

parents,whiletheywereaway.

Ontheeveoftheyatra,1,785SangathanmembersmetinDhamibuttheir

numberincreasedto2,065ontheseconddayasmorewomenjoinedinfromthe

otherdistricts.Onthefinalday,nearly3,000ENSSwomenwalkedtoShimlato

presenttheir

charter

of

demands

to

the

government.

There

was

however

no

representationfromKullu,KinnaurandChambadistricts,wheretheSangathan

isstillatanascentstage. Toexpresssolidaritywiththehillwomen,fivewomen

representativesoftheEkalNariSangathaninRajasthanalsocameforthemarch.

Dhami,aplacewheretheBegaarfreedomstruggleagainsttheoppressionofthe

aristocracytookplacein1939inHimachalPradesh,wasanappropriatestarting

pointforthepadyatra.Amidstslogansandsongs,ENSSmembersbeganthe

padyatrabytyingredthreadsaroundeachotherswristsandappliedteekas a

symbolicgesturemarkingtheunityand

strengthof

the

Sangathan.

The

oldest

memberoftheENSS,a90yearoldwoman

fromKangra,flaggedoffthemarch.

Holdinghands,inrowsoftwos,the

womenwalkedontheNationalHighway

88towardsShimla,raisingslogansthat

drewmuchattentionandpubliccuriosity.

Eventhoughthefirstafternoonwitnessed

unexpectedbadweather,thewomenwere

notdiscouraged.

However

some

vehicles

had

to

be

arranged

at

short

notice

becauseofheavyrainsothattheolderparticipantscouldbetakentoNehra,the

firsthalt.

Themorningofeachdayoftheyatrabeganwithmotivationalspeechesand

slogansasthepadyatrisreadiedthemselvesforthedayahead.Onthesecond

day,asthewomenwalkedthroughacrowdedmarketstreetinGhanahattito


9/14

theirnexthaltnearHeeranagar,thepassersbystoodtransfixed,overwhelmedby

thesighttheywerewitnessing along,serpentinechainofwomen,withbanners

andpostershelduphigh,theirslogans

resonatingastheymovedon.Somecurious

onlookersevenfetchedtheircamerasto

capturethisbrilliantspectacle.Someaged

andailingmembershadtobeferriedin

busestothenexthaltduetounpredictable

weather.Despiteinclementweatherand

dailyfatigue,thedeterminationand

enthusiasmofthewomenwasapparent

songswrittenbytheSangathanmembersdescribingtheirstrugglesandtheir

demands,folksongsoftheirrespectiveareas,orgroupsofwomenmatching

theirstepstocollectiverhythmsofclappingandcheeringwouldrundeepinto

thenight.

Nirmala,dressedinabrightyellowsalwarkameez,dancedincircles,holdinghands,to

thewordsofaSangathansong Dearsisters,breakallthebarriersandcometoShimla.

Aboutayearago,Nirmalahadbeenthrownoutofherinlawshouseasherhusbandwas

havinganaffairwithanotherwoman.EventhoughhervillagePanchayattriedtoresolve

hercaseandsummonedherhusbandoften,herefusedtoappearbeforethebench.

AnENSS

worker

heard

about

Nirmala

and

the

Sangathan

took

up

her

case.

The

ENSS

memberscalledforahearingofNirmalascaseinthepresenceofPanchayatmembersof

notjustherinlawsvillagebutthePradhanandUpPradhanfromherpaternalvillage,

aswell.ABlockDevelopmentCommitteemember,ZilaParishadrepresentative,other

ENSSmembersfromadjoiningvillagesandMahilaMandalmemberswerealsoaskedto

sitinthehearing.Giventhepresenceofsomanyfunctionaries,Nirmalashusbands

familywasobligedtoaccepttheircollectivedecision ofprovidingseparateliving

arrangementsforherinthematrimonialhomeaswellasamonthlymaintenanceofRs.

1000.InordertoensurethatthemaintenanceamountwouldreachNirmala,the

representativesallocated

the

responsibility

of

collecting

the

money

and

handing

it

over

to

hertotheUpPradhanofthevillage.Eventhoughsuchmeasuresmaynotrestore

Nirmalasrelationshipwithherhusband,theywereimportantstepsinsecuringwhat

wasrightfullyduetoher.Presently,sheisananganwadiworkerandisalsoanactive

ENSSmemberinherarea.


10/14

Forthewomen,thepadyatrawasnotsimplyashowofstrength,itwasa

symbolofallthattheyhadsuffered

andovercome,somethingthat

validatedtheir

daily

battle

for

survival.Ageingwidows,helplessand

bereftoffamilysupportorcareintheir

oldage,completelydependenton

theirsonsfamilies,tauntedandjibed

atforbeingaburdenwalked

resolutelytomeettheChief

Minister.Wehavegivenhimour

vote,saidanoldlady,Heislikemy

son.IfIcanputhiminthatseatof

power,Icanalsobringhimdown.He

hastolistentoourdemands.Those

whoarerecognizedaswidowsare

entitledtoaWidowsPensionofRs

300permonthfromthegovernment.

Thisishardlysufficienttobeself

sustainable,especiallyatanagewhen

oneisnotphysicallystrongenoughto

earnalivingotherwise.Andthentherearemanyothers,strugglingtoprove

theirwidowhood

to

get

these

basic

entitlements.

Adarsh, Artis ten- month old son, clung

to his mother as she walked on the road,

oining in the slogans, gently, tentatively,

while attending to her baby. Artis

husband left her for another woman. She

underwent severe physical torture andmental trauma for many years and

shadows of her past still haunt her young

ace. Left with her daughter and son, Arti

has moved back to her parents house

recently. The night she returned, her

husband made an attempt to set her

parents house on fire but despite

lodging a complaint with the police, no

action was taken against him. Even

though Arti filed a case against her

husband, the police and the lawyers werebought over. Vulnerable and lost, the

oung mother is trying hard to piece her

life together though traces of pain and

ear are hard to erase. Arti, scared for

the life of her and her children hopes that

one day she would be able to leave her

past behind for a better future.

Beforesettingoutonthelastlegoftheyatraonthemorningofthe3rd,theMinisterforSocialJusticeandEmpowerment,Govt.ofHimachalPradesh,

ShrimatiSarvenChoudharyvisitedthepadyatrisattheircampsitenear

Heeranagar.Inheraddresstothewomen,shesaidthatthelifeofsinglewomen

wasnoteasyandeverythingmustbedonetopreservetheirselfrespectwithin

society.Sheaddedthatratherthanwalkingoutofamarriage,compromisingon

onesegoforthelargerbenefitofkeepingthefamilyintactmustalsobethought

about.However,

she

empathized

with

women

who

had

been

forced

to

walk

out

oftheirmarriageduetounavoidablepressures.Sheofferedsuggestionsfor

incomegenerationlikejoiningNariNiketanssetupbytheStateorothercivil

societyinitiativesinvolvedwithvocationalactivitieslikemakinghandicrafts,

sewingorbasketweavingthatcouldhelpsupportonesfamily.Althoughuseful

advice,anoldENSSmemberwasunconvinced,HowcanIweavebasketsinmy

oldage?Icanhardlyseeproperlyleavealoneweavebasketsorputathread


11/14

throughaneedle?Asshesharedherdilemmawithothers,hereyeswelledup

talkingaboutheronlyson,himselfunemployed,whofindstheadditional

burdenofanoldmotherdifficulttobear.ButthefactthattheMinisterhadtaken

timeouttoaddressthewomenwasenoughtoliftthespiritofthepadyatris an

acknowledgementofthefactthattheircausehadbeenrecognized.

Becauseofincessantrain,thepadyatrishadtobetakeninbusestillBaluganj,a

pointofentryforShimla,fromwheretheywalkedthroughthecapitaltothe

VidhanSabha.Byearlyafternoon,allthewomencongregatedoutsidethe

VidhanSabha,waitingpatientlyintherain

amidstheavypolicesecurityandmedia

presence.AdelegationofthreeENSS

members theStateCoordinator,Nirmal

ChandelandtwoPadyatraCoordinators,

ShichiAngmo

and

Leela

Devi,

went

in

to

meettheChiefMinister,ShriPremSingh

Dhumal.WhiletheENSSmemberswaitedin

anticipationfortheChiefMinistersresp

theissuesofsinglewomenwerebeing

simultaneouslydiscussedintheongoingAssemblysession.Membersofthe

Housewereengagedinadebateregardingtherightsandentitlementsofyoung

widow

onse,

sthatthegovernmentneededtolookinto.

Ataround4p.m,theChiefMinistersteppedouttomeetthewomen.Appreciatingtheirresilienceandefforts,theCMagreedwithtwoofthe

demandsthathadbeenputforthbyENSS ofprovidingfreehealthservicesand

separaterationcardsforsinglewomen.HestatedthathisGovernmenthad

alreadyincreasedwidowpensionmarginallysincecomingintopowerinJanuary

2008andaddedthatthefeasibilityofthe

otherdemandsthathadbeenplaced

beforehimwouldbelookedinto. Oneof

thedemandsofENSSwastoensure

property

rights

(in

the

paternal

share)

for

tribalwomenoftheStateinareaslike

LahaulSpiti,PangiBharmorand

Kinnaur.Commentingontribalrightsin

India,theCMexplainedthatuntila

Centrallegislationtothiseffectwas

formulated,itwasConstitutionallynotpossibleforaStategovernmentto


12/14

interveneandreformulatelawsintribalareas.However,hegavereassurances

statingthatifsuchachangeoccursthroughaCentrallegislation,hisgovernment

wouldbethefirstonetoimplementitintheState.TheChiefMinstersaddress

leftthewomenfeelingpartlyvictoriousandsatisfiedassomeoftheirdemands

hadbeenimmediatelyaccepted.Attheendofthethreedayyatra,themoodwas

oneofjubilationaswomentroopedbackfromtheVidhanSabhatocatchbuses

fortheirrespectiveareas.


13/14

ThepadyatrahasthrownupsomecriticalquestionsfortheENSStoreflectupon,inordertochartoutitsfuturecourseofaction.Encouraginglocal

leadershipamongstitsmembers,exertingpressureonthegovernmenttotake

cognizanceofothercrucialdemandslikelandrightsforsinglewomenand

capitalizingon

the

positive

outcomes

of

the

yatra

are

significant

issues

that

the

Sangathanisnowfacedwith.

Inordertoemergeasapowerfulsocialmovement,theSangathanmustwork

towardsbuildingcapacitiesofnotjustitsofficebearersbutalsotheother

membersofENSS,inordertodevelopasenseofcollectiveownershipand

accountability.Eventhough3,900womenhadinitiallyenrolledfortheyatra,the

finalnumberofpadyatrisdidnotmatchthisestimate.Personallimitationscould

havebeenoneofthereasonsbehindthis,butitalsopointstothefactthatweak

groundlevelorganizationandmasssupportareareasofconcernincertain

districtsoftheState.

AmongthedistrictsinHimachalPradesh,themaximumnumberofcasesof

domesticviolenceanddesertionseemtobefromKangraandUna.Anattempt

mustbemadetoexaminereasonsforthesetrendsandplacethisdatainthe

publicdomain,sothatpositivepoliticalandsocialactioncanbeformulatedto

addressthis.

EventhoughtheresponseofthegovernmenttosomeofthedemandsofENSS

waspositive,

one

of

the

main

demands

with

regard

to

guaranteeing

land

to

singlewomenforcultivationdidnotelicitanyreaction. Thedebateinthe

VidhanSabharegardingsinglewomenfocusedonlyontheplightofyoung

widows,ignoringtheentitlementsofothersinglewomen deserted,divorcedor

thoseinvolvedinlongdrawnlegalbattlesagainsttheirmatrimonialhomes.

ENSSmustdevisestrategiesinordertodrawattentiontosuchissuesinthe

future.

________________________________________________________________________

Photographscourtesy PriyaD.Das


14/14

________________________________________________________________________

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and

Media

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