Celebrating the victory of our first female president: Pratibha Patil
The long wait of 20 July came to an end after Pratibha Patil (72) was elected as India’s 13th president but first female president. Now all the eyeballs are on 25 July when she will be sworn in for a five-year term.
Election Commission head P.D.T. Achary revealed that Patil received 65.82% of the votes casted by countrywide officials and state legislators.
This can be seen as Patil’s victory over the overpowered candidate of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice President, Congress. Patil, candidate of the governing Congress party and its political allies was full of thanks to the citizens of Democratic India. “This is a victory of the principles of which our Indian people uphold,” she said.
The moment results were announced, countless supporters were seen celebrating her success by dancing on drum beats in the streets and made every effort to spread the word around by lightning firecrackers outside her home in New Delhi. An equal amount of enthusiasm was seen in her among the natives of Maharashtra, her hometown. Guess who wished her first at her home? Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the head of the Congress party were spotted at her home right after the result declaration.
Like every contest, this also invited raised eyebrows from the opposition questioning her efficiency. Adversaries believed that she lacked the national stature for the job and what has worked in favor of her aptitude to express loyalty to the Gandhi family.
What made this News?
Pratibha Patil becoming president OR her gender?
This success of hers is seen by many as the continuity of the Indian custom to strengthen deprived society. This time the presidency is used as a tool to make it customary.
Not to go beyond, we say India has majority of Hindus. Right, but despite this fact India has had three Muslim presidents, including A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and has also priviledged Sikh community that has a minority presence in India by electing Kalam’s predecessor, K. R. Narayanan, who belongs to the roots of the powerful social hierarchy system.
Patil’s appointment exemplifies that it’s an addition to the portfolio of the several women in power viz. Indira Gandhi, elected as prime minister in 1966 and her daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi.
But the question remains are these three women sufficient to generalize the pitiful condition of the women who now choose to be discriminated.
Yahoo news