‘Second Sex’ but First Citizen

Without a doubt, a glass ceiling was shattered when a woman took over the highest-held office in the country but was it a token representation? For it has been a decade and a half and it seems unbelievable that no female candidate has been seen worthy of the position

Pratibha Patil. Illustrated by Dishani Goswami: Visual Storyteller at ThisDay

The ceremonial cavalcade with the limousine escorted by the horseback mounted regiment of the President's bodyguard ushered in the arrival of the first female President of India, Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh Patil on 25th July fourteen years ago.

The fact that it took nearly six decades for a woman to assume the office of President of the world’s largest democracy speaks loads of the gender gap that exists in our country.

Her selection as the UPA candidate superseded a list of at least 6-7 potential candidates for the Head of State. She won the Presidential elections by a two-thirds majority defeating the former Vice President of India and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

Not only does she hold the distinction of having been appointed as the first woman to the post of President but also to the Office of Governor in Rajasthan in 2004.

An advocate by profession, she entered politics by winning the 1962 Assembly Elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the Jalgaon Constituency, which is also her birthplace. Ever since she won every election she contested in the 34 years of her political career which is a rarity. She held various positions as the Member of Parliament for both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha and also held different cabinet portfolios during her period in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

She was also awarded the Special Category Sash of the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle during her term as President in 2018.

Despite her achievements, she has been publicly called out for her problematic statements and involvement in controversial cases. Having been accused of favouring nepotism, aiding corruption, and using government money for personal expenditure like the construction of her retirement home in Pune allegedly on military land, her tenure had been full of contentions.

On several occasions on record, Mrs Patil has spoken some outright thorny stuff. Her suggestion to Indian women ahead of the elections asking them to abandon wearing headscarves as according to her, it was a practice that started as a response to save themselves from the 16th-century Muslim invaders. According to a media report of 1975, she is said to have suggested that people with hereditary diseases should be sterilised as also her statement of viewing increasing population as an economic crime against the country (1993-94 Budget Speech in Lok Sabha).

In addition, names of her family members were seen in murder scandals, land acquisition, and receivers of illegal funding from the Government whom she is said to have tried to protect and shield. Her son and husband are among some of the people whose names stood out in the Vishram Patil murder case and MPLAD funding for a trust run by her husband in violation of the rules to provide any funds to organizations operated by the relatives of the MP. Her involvement in the sugar mill scam and the Pratibha Mahila Sahakari Bank scandal, became much talked about in the media. While we keep blaming he who should not be named for making several trips to the foreign land on government expenditure, it was Madam who set the precedent by travelling to 21 countries sometimes accompanied by a troop of family members costing the public exchequer a whopping 205 crore rupees.

Also, she is said to have on record talked about a conversation she had with the spirit of her dead Spiritual guru, Dada Lekhraj in the body of one of the other followers did nothing but further substantiated the belief of India as the land of snake charmers and its people entrenched in mysterious beliefs and superstitions.

Her guiltless inaccuracy of facts in statements soon changed the question of “Who Pratibha?” to “Why Pratibha?” amongst the political onlookers soon after she assumed office.

Without a doubt, a glass ceiling was shattered when a woman took over the highest-held office in the country but was it a token representation? For it has been a decade and a half and it seems unbelievable that no female candidate has been seen worthy of the position. Or is it the skepticism that has been caused by the tenure of the first one that was given the responsibility?

It is a mere suggestion that a background check be performed on the potential candidates so as to not taint the office of the Republic which its people look up to with great respect. For it is this confidence in its chosen leaders, that a democracy can survive.

We urge you to not accuse us of giving any scandalous information about our former and much revered President since we are only providing an ‘informed choice’ to our readers.

A website “knowpratibhapatil.com” was created by the opposition during the 2007 Presidential election campaign, under the banner of “Project India.” It was said to be an attempt to provide an “informed choice” to the electorate and included media articles that pointed at the allegations against the could-be-next-President of India. Why the BJP chose to provide an informed choice for only the candidate of the opposition and not their own is a question for another day.

Pratibha Patil receiving the Special Category of Sash of the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle (2019); Image Source: pratibhapatil.info

President of India Pratibha Patil made history when she flew in fighter jet Sukhoi 30 MKI (SB 139) in Pune; Image Source: Southasiantribune.com

What many don't know about her is that she was also an able Table Tennis Player from her college days; Image Source: news18.com

Pratibha Patil with Queen Elizabeth in the United Kingdom; Image source: pratibhpatil.info