THE FOUNDING MOTHERS OF OUR CONSTITUTION

Though they were vastly outnumbered by men and often faced derision, the women in the Constituent Assembly fought hard to ensure some of our most cherished rights

- ANGELLICA ARIBAM

ON April 3, 1950, law minister B R Ambedkar announced the formation of an unofficial advisory committee for drafting the Hindu Code Bill. On hearing this, Congress leader and Constituent Assembly member Ammu Swaminathan created a storm while seeking the participation of women's organisations in the talks. When she mentioned that the bill would affect women more than men, the maledominated House erupted in laughter.

Instead of being silenced, she called out the blatant display of sexism in the country's highest law-making body, the provisional parliament: "Every time that any question of women's rights comes up in this House, there is general laughter as if it is a joke. I do not mean it as a joke. I would like the law minister to tell us whether, in view of the fact that the Hindu Code really affects women very largely, and there are several women's organisations in India, they have been asked to send representatives to this advisory committee." She didn't drop the questions till Ambedkar gave her a clear reply that women's organisations were indeed invited.

This was just one of the many instances of sexism I came across while researching a book on the women in India's Constituent Assembly. Women had to continuously battle patriarchy in their fight for progressive laws and political representation. Most of the rights that Indian women enjoy today are a result of their visionary thinking, perseverance and advocacy. Unfortunately, their achievements are often attributed to prominent male leaders and their names remain invisible.