BJP did nothing to empower women in J&K: Rattan Lal

JAMMU, Aug 14: Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party Govt at the Centre as well as its proxy Govt in J&K of being a ‘Jumla Govt’, Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President National Conference has said that BJP has done nothing at all to empower women in Jammu and Kashmir. Taking a dig at the Centre, he asserted that the BJP Govt has disempowered the people of this Union Territory of even the basic right to elect its representatives to the Legislature. In such a situation the women folk can expect nothing positive for their empowerment from the incumbent BJP government.

The NC Provincial President stated this in a joining function of National Conference Women Wing, Jammu held at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan Jammu.

The Provincial President said that the National Conference during its regime in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah as well as later by Omar Abdullah left no stone unturned in fully empowering the women of this region.  He said that it is known to one and all that National Conference has during every phase of its rule worked relentlessly for providing equal rights to each and every section of the society.

Rattan Lal said that it would not be wrong to state that National Conference has literally as well as practically been the champion in ensuring that women are aware of their due rights and enjoy all such rights. He mentioned that it was NC Government which had provided 50 per cent reservation to women of J&K in medical colleges of the erstwhile state.  Recruited in belt force, give priorities as industrial entrepreneurs.

The Provincial President stressed the unwavering support of the National Conference for the Women Bill in the Lok Sabha whenever it is brought forward for discussion. He highlighted the pressing need to ensure equal representation and opportunities for women in the political realm. He criticized the Saffron Party for its failure in implementing political reservation for women.

Earlier, Baljit Kour a  well known socialist activist of Talab Tillo, Jammu West and Saroj Sharma  retired official of Lower Mastgarh, Jammu East joined the National Conference  in presence of Bimla Luthra, State Vice President Women Wing  and Pinki Khalsa, District President, Jammu Urban, JKNC. Rattan Lal Gupta welcomed the newly joined members and hoped that their joining will strengthen the Party at grass roots level. He lamented that the women have been the worst sufferers during the ongoing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule at the Centre and proxy rule in Jammu and Kashmir. Gupta asserted that today there is a dire need to make the women fully aware about their rights and take appropriate and adequate steps to empower the women folk so that they come forward to demand their entitlement under such rights.

Bimla Luthra former MLA and State Vice President Women Wing said that since majority of women are home makers, they are the worst victims of the sky rocketing prices and unprecedented inflation during the BJP rule due to their wrong policies.  She said that it has become very difficult for the women to run their households conveniently with the cost of LPG cylinder having crossed Rs. 1150 and not to talk of other essential commodities. She appealed to the women cadre of the party to work relentlessly at the grass roots level so that people further strengthen the most secular party of J&K..

Sheikh Bashir Ahmed  Provincial Secretary said National Conference is the only panacea of the people of this region especially in terms of empowering women. He asked the people in general and women in particular to vote for NC in the upcoming polls in J&K. He assured that his party will leave no stone unturned in empowering the women with all their genuine rights.

Among others who were present include , Bushan Lal Bhat Ex-MLC, Pardeep Bali Provincial Secretary,  Vijay Lakshmi Dutta, Harsh Vardhan Singh President NCSU,  Th. Yashuvardhan Singh Additional Spokesperson, S. Tejinder Singh  District President Jammu Urban YNC,  Raj Kour, Nirmal Singh, Arun Pal Singh,  Somnath and Varun Kapahi