Manish Kumar
Ranjeet Ranjan, a Congress Lok Sabha MP from Supaul constituency in Bihar, stormed into the limelight when she drove a Harley-Davidson all the way to Parliament on International Women’s Day last year. Recently, she was in the news again for moving a private member bill which pitches for a ceiling on Indian wedding expenses. In an exclusive interview to Sunday POST, Ranjeet speaks on issues of wide relevance to the political role of women in contemporary India. Excerpts:
Your private member bill for introducing a ceiling on wedding expenses has been widely debated. What is the objective of the bill?
Through my legislation I have planned to achieve three objectives: curb the wastage involved in unnecessary wedding expenses, checking wastage of food during Indian marriages and, most importantly, ensuring mandatory marriage registrations within 60 days. Many middle class families are now marred by the burden of mammoth wedding expenses which are mostly done out of compulsion and happiness, while a large quantity of eatables are often wasted in such ceremonies. Ironically, poor families struggle hard to get their children married. I am of the view that if you can really afford extravagant marriages why not help the poor who find it tough to get their kids married.
Moreover, mandatory registration within a time frame is aimed at checking fraud marriages which are very common in states like Punjab where many a times a groom marries and deceives the bride and migrates to a foreign land and never returns.
Do you think such legislative restrictions are feasible in India keeping in mind the many existing legislations on social customs like dowry have failed to act as deterrent?
I am not saying that through a particular piece of legislation we can eradicate a harmful social custom. But we need to frame laws which could, at least, instill fear among the people about the consequences of going ahead with a banned custom. Such laws act as a deterrent and surely help limit the harmful effects of unnecessary showoff. Moreover, people who want to take a stand against these customs get a legal shield from our side.
You advocate simplifying marriages but reports say that on your own marriage day you arrived in a chopper.
I have never advocated killing dreams and aspirations. I am advocating that if a custom which is negative and affects the lives of others leading of wastage of resources, it ought to be discouraged.
But my marriage was not a royal marriage. It was a marriage of a very popular leader (Lok Sabha MP Pappu Yadav) of Bihar where the groom’s side arranged a charted plane for me which was worth Rs 40,000 and around 2.5 lakh people came to see how a popular leader is tying the wedlock. The curiosity also revolved around our inter-caste marriage. I was a Sikh and he was a Hindu from Bihar. The total cost of the marriage came around Rs 8 lakh.
On International Women’s Day, unlike other women parliamentarians, you rode a Harley-Davidson to Lok Sabha. What message did you want to convey?
I am fond of bikes since childhood and I portray what I am, unlike conventional politicians who are something else from inside, but only for the sake of the world they wear torn khadi kurtas to deceive the people. I bought the bike from my own income. On Women’s Day I thought it would carry a message to society that a woman MP can also ride a Harley-Davidson. Moreover, I love to drive big cars and play tennis every day. The times have changed. My mother had eight kids while I have only two. I don’t need to stash money for their future like my mother did. Undeterred by typical men’s glimpses, I proudly own and drive my heavy bikes.
Many outfits bat for women’s reservation in Parliament. Do you think the current crop of women parliamentarians are utlising their legislative power compared to their male counterparts?
As far as women’s reservation is concerned, I personally object to such reservations. I will love to contest without any reservation because if there is reservation there is differentiation. Women parliamentarians should be voraciously raising their issues in Parliament. However, there are many women MPs who are potent enough but in a few large parties they do not get ample space to come out openly.
You recently raised objections against alleged moral policing in UP after Yogi Adityanath came to power. What are your views about the BJP’s move to make him CM of a populous and politically important state?
Only time will tell whether the BJP’s move of choosing Yogi was correct. But I don’t think he has any idea about Romeo and Juliet. They were very good and decent lovers. The names of these luminaries are now often used to catch eve-teasers. If Shakespeare were alive, he would have been deeply hurt by what the newly-anointed CM is doing.
We are against obscenity and eve-teasers, but the way the whole issue has been handled is unfortunate. This way you are giving a free hand to the police to misuse their powers, reports of which have already started pouring in. The anti-Romeo squad caught 1750 boys, out of which only 800 were guilty, whereas the rest were innocent. But you called their parents to the police stations and conducted thorough character assassinations, thanks to the media. What is Yogi is trying to teach? Is he trying to redefine love? Can’t a couple fall in love in this country? Can’t they go for a movie? Does he want to bar people from falling in love?
Since the start of the Budget session, the Lok Sabha seems to be witnessing scant attendance of MPs compared to the other sessions. How do you view the current scenario?
It is really unfortunate. A number of times you see many seats, even in the ruling party ranks, unoccupied. A number of ministers are reported absent after a speech. However, what is more damaging is the attitude and arrogance of the government. During Atalji and Nehruji’s governments, when the opposing parties tried to move genuine amendments, they whole heartedly accepted which is not happening now, as the ruling government is showing reluctance in hearing even the genuine concerns of non-party MPs.
You represent Supaul from Bihar in the Lok Sabha. The ruling party in that state has implemented a liquor ban. Are you in favour of such a ban?
We support the ban. We differ on the law as it has created hassles for the police force and have suggested some amendments. But one thing that has happened for sure is that country-made local liquor consumption has been mostly banned. The custom of drunken people going to marriages and a creating chaos have come to an end which is good for society as a whole. However, it is also a fact that some habitual drinkers are still able to find their source of addiction.
During the 14th Lok Sabha you were one of the youngest elected among MPs. What encouraged you to join politics?
I never aspired to be a politician. I was a sportswoman by choice. But after my marriage I faced many struggles. During meetings with rural people in our area we were moved by their grievances. If you do something for them their support and cooperation is ensured. Slowly by going through all these experiences I came into politics. In my initial days, I faced defeat in elections but I was undeterred and continued on the voyage.
