The Women’s Right Conference (‘Magalir Urimai Maanadu’) organised by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) women’s wing will be attended by Congress’ Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The conference, set to take place on October 14 in Chennai at the YMCA grounds, will be presided over by Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin.
Other women leaders of the I.N.D.I.A. Bloc who will be in attendance include Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s (CPI-M) Subhashini Ali and CPI leader Annie Raja. The conference is part of the centenary birth celebrations of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and late DMK patriarch Kalaignar M Karunanidhi.
DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi told the media that the conference will register opposition to the BJP government’s ‘insincerity regarding women’s reservation’ and press for immediate implementation of the 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. The event will also be used to register their opinion against the ‘indifferent approach’ of the Centre towards the conflict in Manipur. Discussions will also be held about women’s safety, lack of employment and other issues that women are facing today.
Sonia Gandhi will deliver the conference address and Janata Dal (United) leader Leshi Singh, Subhashini Ali, Annie Raja, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Rakhi Bidlan and Trinamool Congress leader Sushmita Dev, will speak on the occasion. TMC leader and West Bengal CM Mamata Bannerjee would not be attending the conference due to Durja Pooja festivities in her state.
Kanimozhi had stated earlier, “The 33% reservation for women brought by the BJP government is just an eye-wash. As far as the reservation issue is concerned, it seems that it cannot be implemented even if it takes another 25 years until the census and constituency redefining.”
According to the DMK deputy general secretary, Stalin has been continuing in their father’s footsteps by launching various schemes for the development of women. Free bus travel and installing women as temple priests are some of the measures that had been taken recently, pointed out Kanimozhi.
