Renuka Chowdary
Encyclopedia
Renuka Chowdary is an India
, feminist politician and the Former Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Government of India
from January 2006 to May 2009.
She recently was authorized by the Congress party to take part in TV debates as their spokesperson.
, Bangalore
, she entered politics in 1984 as a member the Telugu Desam Party
. She was a member of the Rajya Sabha
for two consecutive terms, from 1986 to 1998. During that period, she was the Chief Whip
of the Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party. In 1998, she left the TDP to join the Congress party
. She continues to be a member of the Congress party. In 1999 and 2004, she was elected to the 13th
and 14th
Lok Sabha
respectively representing Khammam
. She was also the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare from 1997 to 1998 in the cabinet of H. D. Deve Gowda
. Other important positions she held include memberships of the Committee on Finance (1999–2000) and Committee on the Empowerment of Women (2000–2001). In the Manmohan Singh
-led United Progressive Alliance
ministry in May 2004, she became Minister of State for Tourism.
In the May 2009 Lok Sabha parliamentary elections, Renuka Chowdary lost from Khammam by close to 1.5 lakh votes.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, feminist politician and the Former Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
from January 2006 to May 2009.
She recently was authorized by the Congress party to take part in TV debates as their spokesperson.
Political career
A graduate in B.A. Industrial Psychology from Bangalore UniversityBangalore University
Bangalore University is a public university located in Bangalore, Karnataka State, India. The university is one of the oldest in India, dating back to 1886...
, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, she entered politics in 1984 as a member the Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
. She was a member of the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
for two consecutive terms, from 1986 to 1998. During that period, she was the Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
of the Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party. In 1998, she left the TDP to join the Congress party
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. She continues to be a member of the Congress party. In 1999 and 2004, she was elected to the 13th
13th Lok Sabha
The 13th Lok Sabha is the thirteenth session of the Lok Sabha...
and 14th
14th Lok Sabha
The 14th Lok Sabha was convened after the Indian general election, 2004 held in four phases during 20 April – 10 May 2004, which led to the formation of First Manmohan Singh Cabinet...
Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
respectively representing Khammam
Khammam (Lok Sabha constituency)
Khammam Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in Andhra Pradesh state in southern India.-Assembly segments:...
. She was also the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare from 1997 to 1998 in the cabinet of H. D. Deve Gowda
H. D. Deve Gowda
Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda was the 11th Prime Minister of India and the 14th chief minister of the state of Karnataka ....
. Other important positions she held include memberships of the Committee on Finance (1999–2000) and Committee on the Empowerment of Women (2000–2001). In the Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
-led United Progressive Alliance
United Progressive Alliance
The United Progressive Alliance is a ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the government of India. The coalition is led by the Indian National Congress , which is currently the single largest political party in the Lok Sabha...
ministry in May 2004, she became Minister of State for Tourism.
In the May 2009 Lok Sabha parliamentary elections, Renuka Chowdary lost from Khammam by close to 1.5 lakh votes.
Progressive Views
- Renuka Chowdary supported the UPA government's bill on protection of women from domestic violenceProtection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 was brought into force by the Indian government from October 26, 2006. The Act was passed by the Parliament in August 2005 and assented to by the President on 13 September 2005. As of November 2007, it has been ratified by four of...
which drew controversy. In an interview to Karan Thapar, she admitted that the law could be misused by some.
- After the 2009 Mangalore pub attack2009 Mangalore pub attackOn 24 January 2009, the Sri Ram Sena attacked girls in a pub in Mangalore, India. A group of 40 activists of the Sri Rama Sena barged into the pub "Amnesia — The Lounge" and beat up a group of young women and men, claiming the women were violating traditional Indian values. Two of the women...
by the Sri Ram SenaSri Ram SenaThe Sri Ram Sena is a right-wing Hindu extremist group founded in the late 1960s by Kalki Ji Maharaj right hand Bal Thackeray, a former leader of the Shiv Sena, the Bajrang Dal and the Vishva Hindu Parishad. Kalki Ji Maharaj is a devotee of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna was born in Vrindavan U.P....
on a pub in Mangalore, Karnataka, where several young women were attacked in an alleged incident of moral policing, she championed the cause of progressive city youth by calling for a "Pub Bharo" campaign and by claiming that Mangalore had been "talibanized". However, this drew criticism from some quarters, including the mayor of Mangalore, who has initiated a legal proceeding against her for allegedly defaming the people of Mangalore and its culture and hurting religious sentiments.
Controversy
- She appeared on NDTV on September 7 2011 after the Delhi High Court bomb blast to justified Government's stand on the issue. However she was criticized for justifying Government's inability to handle large number of terrorist attack in recent times and putting ownership of security on common people. She also gave example of how Anna Hazare had threatened national security and how Delhi police took proactive measures by arresting him on August 16 2011.
- She compared Anna Hazare's movement against corruption to an Indian drama movie, Peepli Live on an Indian news channel. This happened on Aug 16 2011 in an interview with Arnab Goswami of Times Now.
- After losing the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, she has still not vacated her government bungalow.
- On 20 January 1993, Assistant Sub Inspector Suraj Mal, of the Delhi Police posted on the route at Kautilya Marg near Teen Murti, Central Delhi, on which the Prime Minister was to pass, stopped cars (including Renuka Chowdary’s car) to allow an uninterrupted passage to the PM’s entourage. Chowdary then got down from the car, quarrelled with Head Constable Janki Ram, also on duty, and abused him besides giving him fist blows and kicks. She was charged under Sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of IPC (Indian Penal Code). She was later discharged in the assault case by Additional Sessions Judge D S Paweriya in April 2005, as he set aside Metropolitan Magistrate Siddharth Sharma’s 9 February order to frame charges against the Minister.
- In 2000, India's biggest tax evader, Hassan Ali Khan, gifted a Rs 1.2 crore diamond to Congress politician from Andhra Pradesh, Renuka Chowdary. These revelations have been made by Khan's one-time business partner Kashinath Tapuriah, a Kolkata-based industrialist now lodged in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail with Khan in a case of tax evasion.Tapuriah says, "I had taken a diamond from Soir Jewellers in Mumbai, owned by building contractor Abbas Naqvi, to keep with me. (It) cost around Rs 1.2 crore. Khan took it saying he would give me the money or the diamond within three months. He told me that he wanted to give the diamond to an important person and referred to Renuka Chowdary. She is a politician. Khan had told me that she was a very close friend. I was never paid for the diamond...". He also said "I had gone to meet Khan at a flat in Mumbai. Choudhary was present there and Khan introduced me to him. Later, I came to know that Khan was staying with Chowdary in the flat."
- Many regard her presence in debates on national television as purely of nuisance value. Her style of argument is regarded by a vast majority of viewers as loud, boisterous, overtly aggressive and without any substance or logical reasoning.
- Her performance on national television when Mrs.Sonia Gandhi refused PM's post was filled with tears and loud theatrical dialogues which some leading commentators called as the most shameful display of cronyism and sycophancy.