Priyanka Gandhi promises 30 pc quota in jobs for women in Goa, calls BJP 'anti-women'

Panaji, Dec 10: After trying to woo women voters in Uttar Pradesh, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Vadra promised 30 per quota in jobs for women in Goa if her party is voted to power. She slammed the BJP's ideology.

Speaking at a women's convention at Margao, Gandhi said, "The BJP's ideology is basically anti-women. Their ideology will never like that a woman would be empowered," She added, "BJP thinks that after giving a gas cylinder free or some cash, they have done their job as a government. But what they are doing is making women dependent and not independent. Women in the country have now realized that it was time they spoke up."

"That is why we have coined the sloganMai Nari Hun, Mai Lad Sakti Hun (I am a woman, I can fight),' she said. When there is crime against women in Goa, the chief minister asks 'What were you doing on the beach till so late", Gandhi said, apparently referring to a rape case that had rocked the state earlier this year.

"Their (BJP) leaders are asking why are you wearing such kind of dress," Priyanka Gandhi said, adding that it was the responsibility of the government to stop atrocities against women. Wherever there is a BJP government, "the criminal is given protection while the victim is questioned," Gandhi added.

The Congress leader claimed that her party grant up to Rs 1 lakh each to Women Self Help Groups apart from giving an initial funding so that their business could flourish, and help market their products.
According to her, the earlier Congress governments respected people's sentiments and de-notified ten Special Economic Zones as people were against them. She claimed that her party spoke about the current issues during election campaigns, Priyanka Gandhi claimed.

Gandhi addressed the event in which former defense officer Capt Viriato Fernandes joined Congress in Dabolim. She also referred to Fernandes' comments about the environmental degradation allegedly caused by the BJP government's decisions in Goa.

"We are talking about cutting thousands of trees. Double tracking of railway tracks that go through your forests and sanctuaries. We are talking about nationalising rivers that belong to states," Gandhi said.
She accused the BJP government of destroying nature to help "industrialist friends."

He said, "This government has completely forgotten its responsibility towards the people of Goa. It feels stronger responsibility towards its industrialist friends," she alleged.

PTI