Writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi has said that ministership for politicians accused in cases of sexual exploitation of women cannot be justified.
She was responding to a question posed at a press conference held on the sidelines of a meeting to observe the first death anniversary of writer Kovilan at Kandanassery, near here, on Thursday. “No government can justify having tainted people at its helm. Such politicians should not stay in power. Cases of exploitation of women are reported in West Bengal too. Thousands of women are being sold there. The role of women in society should be respected,” she said.
She alleged that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had lost touch with the people. “The elections in West Bengal have proved this. Maybe, the image of the CPI(M) was a trifle better in Kerala than in West Bengal. I am a Leftist. But the way the Left governed West Bengal worried me. The industries and health sectors were in poor shape. Places outside cities such as Kolkata did not have power supply,” she said.
On Mamata
She hoped that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would reverse the condition. “She has taken governance seriously. Let us wait for results,” she said. She said that she, as chairperson of the Bangla Akademi, would take measures for translating Malayalam literary works into Bengali.
Keywords: Social activist, political corruption
