By Our Special Correspondent
Kolkata (West Bengal), April 19: Amid the electioneering heat and dust in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday engaged in bitter blamegame over women empowerment and delimitation two days after 3 crucial bills fell flat in Parliament.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation where he blamed the Congress-led Opposition parties for disallowing the three crucial bills to help women get more reservation.
On her X, she accused the Prime Minister of misleading the entire nation over the delimitation bill saying that her TMC has been giving priority to the higher representation of women in Parliament.
She said, “We have the highest proportion of female elected representatives in both Parliament and the State Legislature. In the Lok Sabha, 37.9% of our elected members are women. In the Rajya Sabha, we have nominated 46% women members. The question of opposing Women’s Reservation does not arise and never has,” she said.
A day after the Central government failed to secure passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Act and the Delimitation Bill, which sought to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, PM Modi addressed the nation on Saturday evening. In his address, he launched a blistering attack on the Opposition, accusing it of “committing a feticide of the idea of women’s representation before the whole world, via their opposition to the move”.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the ruling TMC in West Bengal will have to pay heavy price of what they did in Parliament while opposing the three crucial bills including the bill for ensuring women reservation.
In his address at a crowded rally in Darjeeling, Modi said, “Trinamool Congress does not want women in West Bengal to be MLAs and MPs in large numbers. This is because the women in West Bengal are challenging Trinamool Congress’ misrule in the state.”
Speaking on the occasion at the rally in this tribal-dominated district, the Prime Minister also launched a scathing attack against Trinamool Congress and the state government for allegedly ignoring the issues and demands of the people from the tribal communities in the state.
He said TMC attitude towards tribal people was evident from the recent insult of President Droupadi Murmu, during the latter’s visit to West Bengal to attend an International Santal Conference.
Modi further said once the BJP comes to power in the state, the first priority will be to ensure the women safety and empowerment.
He said, “West Bengal is rejecting TMC’s cut-money culture and deep-rooted corruption. People are now placing their trust in the BJP for honest governance and development.”
