Politics runs in her blood, though.
By Dileep Thekkethil
When Yukti Chaudhary left her hometown in Haryana’s Fatehabad to join Harvard for LLM, nobody thought that she would return back to India. Now, Chaudhary, who won the recently concluded panchayat polls wants to make a change in women’s education and health.
Chaudhary won the panchayat election by a slender margin of 35 votes and now hopes to chair the Ward No. 5 of Fatehabad Zila Parishad.
“There are a lot of things I feel should be pushed for in a rural setting. Education, especially those of women, is something I feel strongly about. Then there is the issue of women’s health. We would also like to start a plantation drive on barren land,” she said, reported The Times of India.
Chaudhary completed her graduation in History (Hon.) from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and did her LLB from Delhi University before getting enrolled in Harvard law School in Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Chaudhary, while speaking to the media said that the initiatives of the Modi-government such as ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ are positive signals towards a better future for the Indian woman. But she also said that such a widespread change cannot be achieved overnight.
“During the election campaign, I came across the water shortage issue again and again. Now, I will tour all nine villages of my ward again to go through the problems being faced by residents in detail before finalising my action plan,” she told the Times.
“If she is elevated, Yukti will automatically be a brand ambassador not only for the government’s resolve to have educated panchayats, but also for the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign of the BJP,” said Vinod Karwasara, a supporter to The Tribune.
She said “changes cannot be brought about overnight. However, considering the larger picture, I do think such initiatives can have a positive impact.”
She also felt that the situation in Haryana, which is infamous for khap panchayats and female foeticide, is changing as more families have started sending girl child to schools. She added that girls are now getting equal opportunities as boys.
When asked why she opted to compete for the Zila Parishad polls her answer came instantly “We (the family) hadn’t planned anything. When polls were announced, we (I) filed nomination towards the end…I am not going to make any special efforts from my side for the post of chairperson. Yes, if other members of the ZP wish so, I am ready to accept the challenge,” Chaudhary said.
Agriculture and panchayat Minister OP Dhankar, while addressing a section of media, had highlighted her participation in the election as fulfilment of the BJP government’s election resolution to make educational qualification as a norm in the panchayat elections.
“When we were locked in a tough contest and our opponents were wooing voters with all kinds of allurements, Yukti put her foot down on our proposal to start distributing liquor to villagers as others were doing,” another supporter was quoted by The Tribune.
Chaudhary said she is not entirely new to politics as the family she was born to and the family she got married to have previous political experience.
“I have a political background from both sides. My grandfather Dr. Hari Singh was a Congress MP from Rajasthan. My husband’s grandfather Mani Ram Godara was a former Home Minister of Haryana,” she said.
Videos and Social Media updates
https://twitter.com/iWomenHealth/status/694089312783106048
2 Comments
Very impressive!Would like to contact you.
Would like to contact you.
My name is Kishie Singh and I am one of the organisors of The Khushwant Singh Literary Festival held in Kasauli in October every year.We would love to have you as a Guest Speaker at our festival. Informitively, Sardar K.S’s son Rahul is a Stephenian as I am. You will meet many more Stephenian’s of various vintage.
Mobile: 0 98140 11567