My father was a driver. He spent most of his income on merriment. My mother was a maid. She was always working. Yet my father was abusive.
It pained me to see him beat her up.
Yet, I was influenced by my father’s leftist ideology of rights and equality. So, I raised my voice against him. It was in vain.
But his abuse and the domestic injustice in my own home kindled the fighter in me.
After my schooling, I formed a women’s rights group with a local Naxalite leader. We started a small tailoring unit in Kozhikode’s busiest commercial area. Everyone mocked us.
Gradually, all the women left because of financial liabilities. I struggled alone. I’m proud that I still run the shop.
After Kudumbashree – the poverty eradication and women’s empowerment programme that was launched in 1998 – homemakers became breadwinners.
By the mid-2000s, shop owners were replacing men with “more efficient” women, who could be paid less.
Despite hundreds of women working for up to 12 hours, there were no washrooms. Forced to relieve themselves behind buildings, they were reluctant to drink even a cup of water. During menstruation, their distress doubled.
We faced humiliation and threats when we pleaded for washrooms. Words such as “no work for you from tomorrow” and “use a cover to urinate” silenced us. Many developed urinary infections and other gynaecological problems.
So, I started “Penkoottu” (women for each other) in 2009, to address these human rights violations. Now I’m called Viji “Penkoottu.”
Since trade unions refused to support our “silly needs,” after much struggle, we formed the Asamghaditha Meghala Thozhilali Union (AMTU) for unorganised workers in 2014.
My tiny shop doubled as AMTU office. Though AMTU has male members, we focus on women’s rights. Shop owners tried hard to suppress us. But justice prevailed.
After relentless protests and strikes, the government amended the Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishments Act (1960) in 2018, mandating toilet facilities for women workers. Local administration built public toilets in Kozhikode.
In shops, workers, especially the women, aren’t allowed to sit even when there aren’t any customers. After our protests, an amended law ensured seats. Now we’re fighting for equal wages and job security.
Seeing the piles of mementos and trophies in my tiny rented shelter, a local organisation called WINGS, through generous public contributions, gifted me a home earlier this year.
Oh, yes, there’s gender equality at my home.
My husband K. Suresh, is also a tailor, but cooks breakfast while I prepare lunch. My son, Ananthu, an engineering student, does all the cleaning. My daughter, Amrutha, who goes to college, does the washing.
“Please provide basic facilities for workers instead of felicitating me.” That’s how I began my speech, during a merchants’ association felicitation when I was selected as one of BBC’s “100 influential and inspiring women” in 2018.
I feel stronger and responsible when I’m invited to share my experiences. After all I’m fighting for basic rights.
Reporting by Chithra Ajith, a journalist based at Kozhikode.
Photos by Santhosh, R.V. Sathi.