Hyderabad: Well-known economist and activist Lubna Sarwat is standing as an independent candidate from the Asifnagar division in the upcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections. Sarwat, whose activism goes between socio-political and environmental issues, is no new face to electoral politics, as she had earlier stood for the Lok Sabha elections, contesting against sitting Hyderabad Lok Sabha member of Parliament and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi .
Despite her defeat in the last elections, Sarwat is determined to fight the election again, albeit on a much local level this time. “Standing for the elections is my democratic right and I am proud of celebrating it,” she said, and added that the need for better municipal representatives in the city has made her stand for elections again.
“Opponents are not my fear. All that scares me are unfair and unlawful election.I will surely win if the elections are conducted in a fair manner,” she asserted. Sarwat added that if she is successful at the elections, she would set up a ward committee by December 20 with the youth, senior citizens, business persons and students. “50 per cent of them will be women,” she told siasat.com in an interview.
Furthermore, she also promised to supply 140 liters per person every day with an adequate storage facility for standard hygiene and health, as required by the World Health Organization (WHO). Also, she has promised to help people get their own housing for every Food Security Card (FSC) who does not own a house.
For students, she said that their health would be her first priority. “I will emphasize on women hygiene and provide them with cotton/eco-friendly menstrual pads for all the girls and women. I promise to make Asif Nagar ward exceptionally difference with no municipal issues and cleanliness,” Sarwat added.
Background Lubna Sarwat:
Apart from being a well-known activist, Sarwat was also a former visiting lecturer at the Trisakti University, Jakarta. She completed her Ph.D in Islamic Economics from Trisakti University, Jakarta, and also holds a certificate in political leadership for wome from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B). She has an MBA from the Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi as well.
Sarwat has associated herself with other activists and organizations on issues related to the environment, communal harmony, human rights, gender and justice. As a political activist, she has been striving for electoral reforms and ethics in governance through direct participation and representation. She had unsuccesfully contested for the Hyderabad parliamentary seat in 2014, and also for the Karwan assembly constituency in 2018.