Pakistan-born Nita became Indian in September, will fight local polls from Tonk in January

JAIPUR: In November 2001, she had migrated to Jodhpur from Sindh in Pakistan nurturing hopes for a better education and finding a perfect match. Eighteen years later, educated and confident, Nita Kanwar (36) received her Indian citizenship in September 2019.
And now, she will contest for the post of sarpanch in the local elections, to be held on January 17, from Natwara gram panchayat in Tonk district.
This has come at a time when there have been widespread protests across the country against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).
Nita’s father-in-law Thakur Laxman Karan, who has been sarpanch thrice in Natwara, is her inspiration and guiding her to contest the panchayat polls from the village. Karan was also the district Youth Congress president earlier.
“I was granted citizenship at the Tonk collector office in September last year. It took me at least three years to complete the process of citizenship. My father-in-law is guiding me in the panchayat election,” said Nita, who has a daughter and son.
Nita and her elder sister Anjana Sodha (who also got Indian citizenship) migrated from Sindh’s Mirpur-Khas 19 years back.
She completed her BA degree from the Sophia College, Ajmer, in 2005, and later got married to Punya Pratap Singh, who runs a travel firm in Tonk, in 2011. Her sister also got married and settled in Jodhpur.
Since Sindh is pre-dominated by Rajput Sodhas, who cannot marry another Sodha as per tradition, the sisters had decided to migrate to Jodhpur to find a match from the Rajput community here. “Initially, I stayed with my aunt in Jodhpur before moving to Ajmer for graduation. Till Class XII, I had studied in Sindh," she added.
“I am contesting from a general seat, which is reserved for women. I want to work towards promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, providing good education and proper medical facilities for the girl child and helping them find employment. I am getting a lot of support from my family members and villagers,” Nita told TOI.
While Nita’s father Swaroop Singh and brother Rajawant Singh Sodha still live in the Sindh province and continue doing agriculture, her mother Mohan Kanwar lives in Jodhpur.
Read this report in Bengali