3 Action Plans that Secured Women Support Entirely For DMK

DMK government has taken many steps in establishing women rights. Former CM Karunanidhi established property rights for women in the past. Now, CM Stalin has established gender parity by appointing 3 women priests and 5 women odhuvars.

DMK government has succeeded in ensuring education to women; establishing 33% reservation to ensure women participation in politics; making women's travel safe and easy and finally warding off gender discrimination against women.

Pudhumai Penn scheme creates opportunities of higher education for women; free bus ride scheme reduces the travel expenses of women and Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam provides financial assistance to women family heads. All 3 schemes helped DMK to amass the support of women.

DMK and women rights - a brief by writer Imayam:

Before coming to power, DMK has voiced and written a lot about women rights via literature. After coming to power, as a way of walking the talk, DMK has given legal recognition to many rights of women. For example, it was the DMK government which enacted law for the provision of equal property rights for women; another role model step is the enactment of legislation providing 33% reservation for women in local bodies election.

Women rights are emphasised by DMK, because Periyar, Annadurai and Kalaignar believed that development of society lies in the development of women. DMK government was the first government to voice the significance of women education. The DMK government started separate schools, colleges and hostels for women and even announced incentives for women education, all done to empower women via education.

DMK's centre of gravity has been women rights since its evolution from the parent organisation, Justice Party which later transformed into Dravidar Kazhagam and finally metamorphosed into the present day DMK. DMK has always put forward the idea of equal treatment of women who constitute half of the society. After coming to power, DMK enacted many laws to put these ideas into action and make them a reality.

The classic example is the promotion of women education via separate incentives for the completion of 8th standard, 12th standard etc. All the initiatives resulted in women working in almost all fields today. In Tamil Nadu, women enrolling for higher education are more compared to other states. Former CM Karunanidhi's order of appointing only women teachers upto 5th standard was welcomed by people from all walks of life. Apart from this, he also issued an order to appoint only women workers in the nutritious meal scheme implemented in schools.

Former CM Karunanidhi also introduced women self-help groups to give economic independence to women. A family's financial situation can be elevated only by a woman but when a woman's financial situation in a family worsens, it affects the family as a whole which in turn affects the society. Realising this, former CM Karunanidhi created women self-help groups to better the economic position of women. In the 2000-year long political history of Tamil Nadu, no other government has given so much importance to women.

Even now, CM Stalin has introduced the Pudhumai Penn scheme with the objective of preventing girl student drop-outs and it fulfilled the objective by benefitting 1.16 crore girl students in pursuing higher education. After the introduction of the scheme, the enrolment of girl students increased by 27% in just one year.

Earlier, Karunanidhi created self-help groups with the intention of elevating women's financial situation and now CM Stalin has given Rs.1000 to approximately 1.06 crore women with the same intention of lifting the financial situation of women thereby lifting the financial situation of the whole family. A society's good financial situation lies in ensuring a good financial situation for women. Karnataka has now implemented the scheme introduced by the Tamil Nadu government. In the coming election campaign, the scheme is expected to spread all over India.

Apart from this, CM Stalin gave autos to 500 women a few days ago. These women were trained and given license at the expense of the government and the vehicle was also given at a subsidised rate of 1 lakh rupees. "The historic significance of the event is its inclusiveness, benefitting 2 members of transgender community also", said writer Imayam.

Investing in women means investing in the person who invests in everyone else.