Itanagar: As the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday, the Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society (APWWS), in a letter addressed to Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, expressed deep concern about the surge in polygamous practices within the state.
The letter, sent on behalf of the organization by its president, Kani Nada Maling, emphasized the adverse impact of polygamous practices on the state’s social fabric, highlighting the exploitation of women and the degradation of gender equality.
The APWWS in the letter pointed out the concerning trend of using women as political tools, a matter against which the society said has consistently advocated since its establishment in 1979.
A key point of contention raised in the letter was the withdrawal of the Arunachal Pradesh Monogamy Election Bill 2023 on September 6, 2023.
“The bill, introduced by Congress MLA and former MP Ninong Ering aimed to make individuals with only one spouse eligible to run for elections. It sought crucial amendments to the Representation of People’s Act, 1951, as well as the inclusion of the Panchayat Act, 1997, and the Municipal Act, 2007,” the APWWS said.
The society further expressed disappointment that the bill was not even placed for debate and discussion in the legislative assembly, viewing it as a curtailment of women’s voices in the state.
The letter concluded with a plea to Rahul Gandhi to consider addressing polygamy-related issues under his leadership within the Congress party.
The APWWS also urged active support for the eligibility of individuals with one spouse to run for elections as a significant step towards empowering and improving the status of women in Arunachal.
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