If Droupadi Murmu Becomes India's Next President, She Will Create History: Here's How

On June 21, the BJP-led NDA declared that Droupadi Murmu would be running for president in the next elections. Murmu is the first significant tribal woman to run for president in India. If elected, she will become India's first tribal president and the country's second female President. She is the first significant Odisha presidential candidate, and if elected, she will be the nation's first Odisha president and the first tribal woman president. 

She served as governor of Jharkhand, a state with a tribal majority and governed by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, a partner in the UPA. As a member of the opposition, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is anticipated to back Yashwant Sinha as the joint-opposition candidate for president.

Tribal women are unlikely to participate in all political activities, and they do not generally have as much power as their male counterparts. Because it is frequently observed that tribal women's voices are not properly heard, having the authority to make decisions on their behalf is a crucial issue from the perspective of their empowerment. It is important to recognise the influence of tribal women in decision-making. Without the active involvement of tribal women, meaningful development cannot occur. Having the power to make decisions on their behalf is vital from the standpoint of tribal women's empowerment because it is usually noticed that their voices are not properly heard.

Recognising tribal women's influence on decision-making is crucial. Meaningful development is impossible without the active participation of indigenous women. The tribal state of Arunachal Pradesh, for example, has no women MPs since achieving independence in 1987 and only four women MLAs in the current assembly of 60 required members. However, neither the economic mobility nor the empowerment of women is accurately reflected by this score.

Droupadi Murmu Presidential Candidate

Murmu had failed the former BJP government's plan to change the land tenancy laws in Jharkhand in 2017. The legislation to alter the Chhotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act had been returned by her. The planned changes to the CNT and SPT Acts were fiercely opposed by Jharkhand's tribal groups during the previous BJP administration. As a result, Droupadi Murmu is a capable tribal administrator. 

According to the 2011 census, 8.6 per cent of Indians identified as tribal. However, the total is far higher in some states than in others. Scheduled tribes make up 2.8 per cent of the population in cities and 11.3 per cent of the overall population in rural areas.

Suggested Reading: 25 Tribal Women In Odisha Come Together To Quash Menstrual Taboos

Feature image credit: The Hindu.