HERALD: Is it a Man’s world in BJP’s Legislator Party?
alina: Well, if you are talking about numbers, then definitely it is a man’s world in the BJP Legislator Party. However, it is the responsibility of every legislator, whether male or female, to assert herself w.r.t. the needs of the constituency and the people. This happens irrespective of whether you are a man or a woman.
HERALD: What leadership role does a women legislator get to play in BJP’s Legislator party?
alina: Every dedicated legislator, whether a man or a woman is a leader by the very fact that he/she is elected to lead and do the needful for the people of the constituency. That is what I strive to do and I have the full liberty to do it my way. This privilege I have been given as an elected BJP legislator.
HERALD: What are the issues in the current Assembly Session that you have been asked to lead by your party?
alina: The party has not asked me to take up any issue in particular. Being aware of my constituency and that of the state at large, I have placed some related issues before the house.
HERALD: Your Mahila Mandal President infamously remarked on women’s safety that ‘We need to change the mentality of the people. We cannot provide security to every individual. But an individual can act as a protector of the other. “As a former Minister yourself, Do you agree with her?
alina: The Government cannot be made responsible for the safety of every citizen of the state individually. However, it is the prime duty and the responsibility of the Government of the day to put a definite system in place, a system that will ensure the safety and protection to the citizens by way of essential infrastructure and strict implementation of the law.
HERALD: Do you feel despite Shashikala Kakodkar being CM, Goan Political Parties do not take women politicians seriously?
alina: India is a country where the woman always walked two steps behind. However, we have come a long way from those days, because women like our late CM, Smt. Shashikala Kakodkar and many other great ladies, have proved that the woman can be as good, if not better than their male counterparts. A lot can be spoken on the issue, but due to paucity of space I’ll stop here for now.
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HERALD: Is it a man’s world in the Congress Legislator Party?
JENNIFER:Firstly it should be noted that the Congress party does not discriminate nor has any indifference towards women. Even in the United States only 19% of seats are held by women.Out of the 40 seats in the Goa Assembly, Congress put up 3 women candidates while BJP and MGP had only one each. We have several women working in the organization at different levels and I guess that win ability is an import factor when it comes to elections.
HERALD: Whatleadership role does a woman legislator get to play in the Congress Legislator Party?
JENNIFER:Our President of the Congress Committee was a woman; several women held important portfolios and you can see many more women enter politics in general.
If one performs well and shows potential of having leadership qualities an opportunity is always given whether man or woman. Women as legislators help also to represent the concerns of women and their problems along with policy making which emphasizes quality of life for families, children, women, marginalized groups, ethnic communities, etc.
HERALD: What are the issues in the current Assembly Session that you have been asked to lead?
JENNIFER:Ours is a very democratic way of operating, but yes, Women and Child Welfare, Tourism, Animal Welfare are some of the issues I have taken up seriously along with issues that directly affect my Constituency and people. Also this time as everyone else I spoke widely on the issue of Formalin in Fish.
HERALD: Your Mahila President has had a FIR against her for using a little girl for cheap publicity; she has also been seen in the past more as a publicity rabble rouser than a serious politician.
JENNIFER:I have no comment to make on the issue of FIR as the same is within a legal framework of do’s and don’ts as per the laws laid down, nor on the issue of a publicity rubble rouser, as it is an individual impression .But what I can say is that Our Mahila President has been dedicated to the Congress Party and has done and performed in the interest of the party always.
Anyone who has been given a position within the Congress Party should perform his/her duties to the best of their abilities, whether this position of Mahila President should be held byonly a Legislator or Minister is left up to the Congress Party to decide.
HERALD: Do you feel despite SashikalaKakodkar being CM,Goan Political Parties do not take women politicians seriously?
JENNIFER:Following her father’s death, Dayanand Bandodkar in 1973 while still in office as Chief Minister of Goa, she became the Chief Minister of Goa. She was a very capable woman and ruled the state very successfully.
Like I mentioned earlier, if one has the capabilities and potential to perform as a good representative of the people, then no one can stop you from achieving your goals.
