Women comprise a substantial chunk of the total voters in India but various political parties have not been able to pass the bill for facilitating reservation for women in Parliament so far. Women voters want a Government which accords greater importance to the fair sex. Talking to The Pioneer, prominent women personalities here said that they have not been empowered as desired.
Congress State spokesperson Shilpi Arora avers that the Congress respects women and listens to all communities and sections of the society. “Prominent women leaders of the Congress like Sarojini Naidu, Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Pratibha Patil and Meira Kumar are examples of the party according respect to women and honouring their rights. The Congress has not made any donation to the public but has empowered them with rights like the right to information, right to food and the planned rights to health and home. The Congress alone can govern the nation properly.”
Former Haldwani mayor Renu Adhikari of the BJP believes that the economic condition of India has deteriorated in the 10 years under the UPA government. “People are facing the brunt of price rise and crimes against women have also reached a peak under the Congress led government. The development achieved in Gujarat is internationally recognised so the nation must elect a person capable of facilitating development to the post of the Prime Minister.”
Dr Shweta Chaudhary states that the huge turnout in the lok Sabha elections 2014 this year in various states so far shows the clamour for change after 10 years of gross misgovernance. “People have come out and arisen over petty politics of caste and communalism and have voted for development. The youth of this country have moved beyond the traditional election issues and the high voting percentage is a testimony of the fact the nation is craving for development and modernisation. We as a nation must ensure that we vote for the party which vows to take our country forward and escape from the clutches of casteism, regionalism and communalism. Vote for the country before self and make history this time.”
The Uttarakhand State Women’s Congress secretary Beena Joshi stresses on the need for an MP who can ensure that the Central Government schemes reach even the remote areas in Uttarakhand. “The nation has benefitted from MNREGA, Right to Information, Food Security Act and Right to Education during the term of the Congress in office. The people should vote in favour of the Congress to facilitate development in the nation.”