Give larger share for women in power sharing, demands Joshi

Panaji, June 5 (UNI) Pleading for larger share for women in power sharing to ensure gender justice, All India Mahila Congress President Rita Bahuguna Joshi today urged the Congress to give adequate share of seats to women in the Parliament and state legislature without going by the criteria of ''winnability'' in all the elections.

Addressing a largely attended meeting of the Goa Mahila Congress here, Ms Joshi asked the women to raise their voice against any ''injustice'' and fight it out, if necessary, using ''lathi'' to show their strength.

She also exhorted the women to teach a fitting lesson in the coming elections, scheduled for mid next year, to the BJP and the regional parties which had spared no time to whip up caste and communal passions for political expediency.

''Pull down these parties whose aim is to grab power by playing caste and communal cards instead of helping resolve the real issues of the masses,'' she said.

The respective Congress governments should also go to villages to bring about awareness of various developmental schemes in Goa.

Referring to various laws enacted over the years for upliftment of the women, she said, they remain useless unless politicians developed a congenial climate for implementation of the laws.

The mahila congress chief further asked the governments to involve people, particularly in the budget making process so that their views were given weight.

Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane, GPCC president Ravi Naik, Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik besides Goa Mahila Congress president Monika Dias, seveal block presidents and office bearers spoke on the occasion.

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