Calling on the Mahila Congress cadre to work towards installing a Congress government in Puducherry in next year’s Assembly election, All India Mahila Congress president Shobha Oza said the ruling AINRC government had left promises unfulfilled.
“A lot of resentment is felt among people of Puducherry about unfulfilled promises. These include employment for the youth and provision of rice to the poor. Workers must take a door-to-door campaign and tell people about the achievements of Congress for the poor, women and youth. Take up the challenge of bringing Congress back to power in Puducherry,” Ms. Oza told Mahila Congress cadre and party workers.
Book released
Ms. Oza released the Tamil translation of a book on ‘one year of misrule’ by the BJP-led NDA at the Centre. Also present at the programme were Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee President A.V. Subramanian, former Chief Minister M.D.R. Ramachandran, Leader of Opposition V. Vaithilingam, MLA K. Lakshminarayanan and Puducherry Pradesh Mahila Congress President Premalatha.
‘Congress for women’
She said Puducherry had not yet implemented 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies, and asked the party workers to ensure the same.
She asked Mahila Congress cadre to be vocal about women’s rights, and raise voice against atrocities against women and take to the streets to highlight these issues.
The present government has made drastic cuts in budget allocation to health, education, and schemes like the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Ms. Oza alleged. The government is anti-people and anti-women; it is not for the masses, but only for some industrialists, she said.
The BJP had promised to bring back black money and bring down inflation but had not delivered, she said.
She questioned the Prime Minister’s silence on the Lalit Modi issue, the alleged ‘chikki scam’ involving Pankaja Munde and the issue about HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s educational qualification.
“This suit-boot ki sarkar has shielded the corrupt. It shows the real face of the BJP.”
