Lucknow: Unlike other political parties, winning or losing elections does not matter to the Mera Adhikaar Rashtriya Dal (MARD), which has jumped into the electoral battle to be the voice of the ‘mard’ and to defend men’s honour.
MARD has lost deposits on all seats it has contested so far since it was formed in 2018 but its leaders say they are undeterred by elections losses.
The party has released its ‘MANifesto’ for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls with the slogan “Beton ke samman me, ‘mard’ utre maidan me” (In honour of sons, men have stepped on to the battleground).
The party has so far announced candidates for three seats – Lucknow, Ranchi and Gorakhpur.
The MARD party has previously contested in seven different elections – Lok Sabha polls in Varanasi and Lucknow in 2019, bypoll in Bangarmau assembly seat in 2020, assembly polls in Bareilly, Lucknow North, Bakshi Ka Talab (Lucknow) and Chauri Chaura seats in 2022.
“We have jumped into the fray in honour of men, to raise the voice for those who are harassed and exploited in the name of women’s security. Winning and losing does not matter to us,” MARD party national general secretary Ashutosh Kumar Pandey told PTI.
When asked about the fate of his party candidates contesting polls this time, he candidly accepts, “This time too, they can lose their deposits.”
“We don’t have a lot of resources and we also do not take donations. Our candidates contest on their own expenses. The benefit of contesting the polls is that now more parties are coming to raise the issues of men,” Pandey said.
Kapil Mohan, the party’s national president, said men are “suppressed” in a bid to “empower half the population”. The party wants to highlight this issue so that people pay attention to it, he said.
In the party ‘MANifesto’, the party has promised that a separate Men’s Welfare Ministry and National Men’s Commission will be created so that before any policy or law is formulated, the point of view of men is taken into account.
“It will help in formulating schemes keeping in mind the health, security and honour of men,” Pandey added.
The party has also promised a Men’s Security Bill to save men from exploitation by “laws made for women”.
To ensure that men’s side is heard, Pandey said the party has promised for a “Men power line” on lines of Women power line – a helpline which provides immediate assistance to women in cases of harassment, stalking, etc.
The party has also promised to promote self-reliance of women so that men are not “harassed in the name of alimony”, Pandey said.
Pandey claimed over 200 men commit suicide every day “as they are not heard properly” by anyone. People will be more aware about men’s rights slowly and that was their objective, he said.
