Accusing the BJP of indulging in empty sloganeering and hollow rhetoric over the issue of women empowerment, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman-JKNPP & former Minister said that women folk was the most afflicted lot in J&K. Not only were the atrocities against women disregarded by the helmsmen but majority of schemes announced for welfare of the rural womenfolk had remained confined to papers only, said Singh. He was addressing a Mahila sammelan organized by Women Wing of Panthers at Hakkal Panchayat in Raipur-Domana constituency under the leadership of Mrs. Anita Choudhary and Mrs. Seema Rajput.
Speaking to media persons, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh highlighted the pathetic plight of women workers, employees, underemployeds, unemployeds who were subjected to worst form of humiliation and harassment at the hands of saffron regime. Taking a jibe at BJP’s election manifesto, he said that its slogan of giving 33% reservation to women in Assembly has also proved a hoax. Reminiscing the more than three year long hunger strike of contractual lecturers at Exhibition Ground Jammu, Mr. Singh lamented that the young female lecturers agitating for their rights for regularization were made to languish on roads and refused even an audience by the BJP rulers despite they being highly qualified and fully eligible. The said girl protestors had to burn their tents after around 400 days of protests in view of none coming forth to listen to their shrill cries for justice. Likewise, the BJP-PDP coalition government had resorted to lathi-charge on peaceful protesting Anganwari and Asha workers who were seeking enhancement of their honorarium. Similar treatment was doled out to female NHM and MGNREGA workers who were seeking fulfillment of repeated assurances doled out by the government to them. The plight of widows belonging to poor and marginalized families was all the more pathetic with benefits of social welfare schemes including pensions and ration cards being denied to them”, asserted Mr. Singh.
Mrs. Manju Singh General Secretary-JKNPP called for priority consideration of widows in sanction of houses under PMAY. She demanded free Washing Machines to all women in BPL category. She said that NPP Mahila Wing would continue to highlight the cases of domestic violence and work for betterment of their living conditions and their empowerment in the true sense. She appealed to the women in general to join NPP in large numbers as it alone was the hope for the varied sections of society.
Mrs. Anita Choudhary, State Secretary-Mahila Panthers announced the establishment of cutting and Tailoring Centre besides a centre for Beauty Parlour and other professional schemes for providing training to women in various trades and crafts. She along with Mrs. Seema Rajput announced to provide regular educational and technical training to women in all Panchayats of Block besides educating them about the beneficiary oriented schemes announced for women from time to time but not implemented in the rural areas.
Mr. Surinder Chouhan, District President Jammu (Rural)-JKNPP presented vote of thanks. Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Sonika Randhawa, Jogita Sharma, Palika Choudhary, Seema Mehra, Anju Devi, Kajal Devi, Manjit Kour, Poli Devi besides others.