13 March,2024 03:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rahul Gandhi/ PTI
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi introduced five 'Mahila Nyay' guarantees aimed at strengthening women if the party wins the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections during a women's rally in Maharashtra's Dhule district as part of his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'.
Gandhi's promises include depositing Rs 1 lakh annually into poor women's bank accounts and securing 50 per cent reservation for women in government positions. He also promised to quadruple the central government's budget allocation for ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and mid-day meal plan personnel, reported PTI.
According to the report, Gandhi further mentioned that a nodal officer would be created to teach women about their rights and assist them in court battles. He also recommended establishing Savitribai Phule dormitories for women in every district of India.
Addressing the rally, Gandhi emphasised the importance of justice ('Nyay'), which he had included in the name of his yatra after consulting with farmers, youth, and women. He criticised the administration for prioritising industrialists above farmers and youngsters, emphasising the importance of equal resource distribution, the report added.
The Lok Sabha member from Wayanad was quoted as saying, "The word 'Nyay' has been added in the second yatra from Manipur to Mumbai after farmers, youth and women told me that violence, hatred is because of injustice."
Claiming that Rs 16 lakh crore of industrialists were waived off but not those of farmers and youths he said, "There is no bigger injustice than this."
The Gandhi scion, as per PTI report, further stated that women were fooled by the Union government over reservation (in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies) as the bill will reportedly be implemented after 10 years. "Our government will immediately implement women's reservation," he added.
Reportedly, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge echoed Gandhi's remarks, emphasising the veracity of the party's promises, dismissing them as mere rhetoric (jumla). He restated previous commitments, including direct financial transfers to women's bank accounts and a 50% quota in government posts.
Furthermore, Jairam Ramesh, the AICC's general secretary in charge of communications, revealed plans to change the Constitution to eliminate the 50% reservation cap. He criticised the Modi government for dismantling past Congress projects for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, promising to enact legislation assuring equitable budget distribution based on caste and community population, the PTI report stated.
According to the report, Ramesh also emphasised the importance of 'adhikar maitri' in each gramme panchayat, who try to create jobs for rural women and teach them about their rights.
