Members of the Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee (KPMCC) on Friday demanded that half of the nominations to the government boards and corporations should be reserved for women members of the Congress.
The members expressed displeasure over the party not giving enough representation to women in the Assembly elections. “Although there are several eligible and senior women workers in the party, ticket was given to newcomers. We want you to rectify this mistake in the Lok Sabha elections and in the nominations to boards and corporations,” said former MLA Malajamma to KPCC president G. Parameshwara at a meeting of the executive committee of the Mahila Congress.
Dr. Parameshwara said he would persuade Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to accommodate more women members (from among the MLCs) in the next Cabinet expansion.
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He said he had spoken to Mr. Siddaramaiah and All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi about nominating an Anglo-Indian woman member to the legislature.
“You adopt a resolution seeking 50 per cent reservation in nominations to boards and corporations and send it to us. We will forward it to the Chief Minister. However, I assure you that I will try to ensure that you get justice,” he told Mahila Congress members.
Asking the KPMCC to identify a suitable party worker who can be nominated to the State Social Welfare Board, Dr. Parameshwara also assured them that he would accommodate senior members in the pradesh and district Congress committees that are being revamped.
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Exhorting them to strengthen the party from the booth level for the Lok Sabha polls, Dr. Parameshwara asked them to recommend names from among members for the party’s ticket in LS polls.
All India Mahila Congress president Shobha Oza called upon the members to have zero tolerance towards atrocities against women. “Nobody is above the law. Irrespective of the party to which the accused person belongs to or his social and political status, we should stand by the victim,” she said.
She assured the members that she would speak to Mr. Siddaramaiah about nominating more women to the boards and corporations. “But it is not enough if you appease your leaders. You should work for the poor and ensure that the benefits of various government schemes reach the genuine beneficiaries,” she said.
Earlier, KPMCC members adopted resolutions demanding the setting up of special courts, along with fast-track courts, for the speedy disposal of cases pertaining to atrocities against women. They also wanted Home Minister K.J. George, who was present, to ensure that the special courts had women judges and a woman public prosecutor. The government should also appoint more women police officials and set up more all-woman police stations, they said.