Advocating strongly for an equal place for women folk in society, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Najma Heptulla said that unless and until the gender equality has been established, an all-round development would be a distant dream.
Heptulla was addressing the inaugural session of a workshop at women writers' convention here on Sunday. “When Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about 'sab ka saath, sab ka vikash', he does not say about the backward classes alone but womenfolk are also included in it.”
Heptulla further said, “When a woman becomes President, Prime Minister or lok Sabha Speaker, her power is attached to her post alone but the real women empowerment is possible when the common women's view would be accepted in each every household and society.”
Mentioning about deities such as Sarswati, laxmi and Durga, the Minister said “We offer obeisance to Sarswarti, consider to be the goddess of education but we do not educate our girls. When a girl child is born, we say laxmi Goddess of wealth has come but we deprive her from property. Similarly, we adore women as Maa Durga but do not provide power to them.”
She pointed out, “This is not a question of fight between men and women but their rights. When a woman comes to power, she thinks about the welfare of women.”
Taking a dig at those who term women as 'Abla' (Weaker one), the Rajya Sabha Member from the state said, “I strongly object such concept, being a woman I never suffered from inferiority complex. On the contrary, I always feel myself strong. Women beget the next generation but a man cannot do so.”
Among other dignitaries, state Women and Child Development Minister Maya Singh, writer Mehrunnisa Parvez and Madhya Pradesh State Women's Commission President lata Wankhede were also present.