Countering critics against Congress' poll plank for Uttar Pradesh, 'Ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon', Uttar Pradesh in-charge of the party, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Wednesday asserted that women empowerment would remain her party’s main strength in the upcoming election in the state.
Tweeting an exclusive interview with a news channel, the Congress leader said sisters would bring change in politics.
When asked about how the Congress planned to take UP, a state ruled by Bharatiya Janata Party's Yogi Adityanath who is set on giving a fierce fight to secure another term as chief minister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra drew parallels with a famous dialogue from the 1975 Bollywood film Deewaar starring Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor.
In the video, a smiling Priyanka can be seen saying, “Have you heard that dialogue? Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor were brothers in the movie. Amitabh Bachchan tells Shashi Kapoor ‘mere paas gaadi hai, bungalow hai, yeh hai, woh hai'. Then Shashi Kapoor says, 'mere paas maa hai'. So, I am also saying 'mere paas behenein hai.”
She further says that Congress does not believe in politics of caste and religion and has targeted the fairer gender in her campaign and has promised 40 per cent ticket for the women. The Congress general secretary has been focusing on women power and the party is organising Marathon of girls in the theme of 'Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon'.
Priyanka, in her interaction with women recently, said: 'Suno Draupadi, shastra utha lo. Ab Govind na aayenge. Kab tak aas lagaogi tum, bike hue akhbaron se. Kaisi raksha maang rahi ho, Dushasan ke darbaron se. (Listen Draupadi, take up arms as Lord Krishna will not come for rescue. How long will you wait for justice from newspapers that are already sold. What kind of protection are you seeking from Dushasan's court),' she said.
She said that this time, the talk of giving 40 per cent tickets to women in assembly elections was just a beginning.
“I want half the population of women to contest 50 per cent seats in the 2024 elections. The mobile phone will help in your safety and the scooty will help you in your studies. Travel will be free for women in government buses and 40 per cent provision already exists for women in government posts,” she said.
The programme that focused on 'Ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon' slogan, saw women from all strata of society, mainly low-income groups, listening attentively to the Congress leader's programmes for women empowerment.