The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) created history by inducting two women to its national leadership. One of the women represents the Dalit community.
The decision is termed historic as it marks the first time in India’s 75 years of independence that women will play a major role in the organisation.
Jayanthi Rajan, a Dalit leader from Kerala’s Wayanad, and Fathima Muzaffer, a corporation councillor from Tamil Nadu, were selected as national assistant secretaries in IUML’s national committee at a party event held in Chennai on May 15.
While Muzaffer is the president of the IUML’s National Women’s League, Rajan will be its joint secretary.
Rajan belongs to the Other Eligible Communities (OEC). Before joining IUML, she was involved in social service. She has been active in politics since 2010. Her father-in-law was an active Congress leader. IUML first approached him with an offer to make her a member.
“It is for the first time that women have been selected to the national leadership of the party in its over 75 years. It is a historic moment. I am very happy and it is a proud moment for me,” she said.
Regarding her new duties as part of the national leadership, Rajan said that the party has yet to inform her about her responsibilities.
Muzaffer is the daughter of a former IUML national president and MP.
Welcoming the development, IUML Rajya Sabha MP Abdul Wahab said the primary reason behind the decision was to make IUML more inclusive. “Now is the time for it. It is a necessary move. We did it to ensure more representation and opportunities for women in the party, even though we have a separate women’s wing,” Abdul Wahab said.
On being asked whether it was a move to cast aside the ‘male-dominated’ image of the party, Wahab said that all parties all over the world were male-dominated. “We wanted to give women more opportunities. So we have started this,” he stated.
(With PTI inputs)
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