Jammu, Aug 14: National Conference Provincial President Jammu Rattan Lal Gupta on Monday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has “done nothing at all” to empower women in Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking a dig at the Centre, he asserted that the BJP government 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, he added.
The NC Provincial President stated this in a joining function of the National Conference Women Wing, Jammu held at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan Jammu. He said 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.
“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 society,” Rattan Lal said, adding, “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 the NC government that provided 50 percent reservation to women of J&K in medical colleges of the erstwhile State, recruited in belt force and gave 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 reservations for women.
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 the presence of Bimla Luthra, State Vice President Women Wing and Pinki Khalsa, District President, Jammu Urban, JKNC, the party said in a statement issued here.
Gupta welcomed the newly-joined members and hoped that their joining will strengthen the party at the grassroots level. He asserted that today there is a dire need to make women fully aware of 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.
