Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday said the allotment of houses by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (formerly the Slum Clearance Board) will henceforth be made in the name of woman heads of family.
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Addressing the Women’s Day celebration by the Women’s Wing of the DMK, Mr. Stalin said he had taken a cue from the ‘Samathuvapurams’ created by the government headed by Kalaignar (Karunanidhi).
“The houses in the Samathuvapuram were allotted to women heads of family. Let us celebrate women not just in words, but also in life. Let us go beyond women’s rights and ensure the empowerment of women,” he said in the function attended by K.K. Shailaja, former Health Minister of Kerala.
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The Chief Minister also launched the website of the DMK Women’s Wing.
Mr. Stalin called upon women representatives of the local bodies to become role models by realising their potential.
“Even though 50% of the seats was allotted to women, they have won more seats and realised the dream of (former Chief Minister) Anna and Kalaignar,” he added.
DMK Women’s Wing Secretary Kanimozhi said that even though the BJP had promised to implement 33% reservation for women in the legislature, it had not done anything so far. “I have raised it many times in the Lok Sabha. The government says it is thinking about it. I don’t know what there is to think about. The government is not ready to take a stand on marital rape despite the court having asked it to explain its position. The government’s position is that it is against Indian culture. In reality, it remains a weapon to suppress women,” she said.
Ms. Shailaja said Tamil Nadu and Kerala had fought against fundamentalist ideas on women and their rights. “Periyar questioned and challenged these ideas. He also opposed expensive marriages. Mr. Stalin is fighting hard against the RSS and the Sangh Parivar, who seek to denigrate Periyar,” she said.