From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jan 9: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be addressing the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee’s Women’s Empowerment Convention at the Bengaluru Palace Grounds on January 16.

In a throwback to Priyanka’s slogan, “Mai Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon,’’ (I am a girl, I will fight) in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls that failed to yield the desired results when the Congress party fought on its own, the State Congress has organised the women’s empowerment convention as “Naa Nayaki” (I am a leader).

KPCC chief D K Shivakumar said the participation of Priyanka Gandhi will give a big boost to the women workers as the Congress leader is capable of rousing women and girls.

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Separate manifesto for women

Shivakumar said the Congress party has decided to give a big push to women’s empowerment in view of the fact that the country and the State has 50% of women population and will be coming out with a separate manifesto for the assembly polls addressing the concerns of women.

The Congress party had launched the Anganawadi, Asha Workers and Stree Shakti Self Help Groups and various other programmes tailored to the needs of women and has been giving priority for women in its work, he said asking all women and girls as well as party leaders to give their suggestions to the party on the issues to be addressed in the manifesto for women by January 15.

The suggestions can be given in writing, email, whatsapp and social media platforms, he said.

The KPCC Chief said all women who had participated in all local body elections as well as cooperative societies and representatives from all villages from booth level are attending the January 16 convention, when Priyanka Gandhi will announce the programmes specially targeted at women in the assembly polls.

Shivakumar said he and Congress opposition leader in the assembly Siddaramaiah and other party leaders will be undertaking state-wide bus yatras from Wednesday to focus on the various problems of the people and also the failures and corruption scams of the BJP rule.

Answering questions on giving more seats for women in the elections, he said the Congress party first gave 33% representation to women in urban and rural local bodies. “We wanted to do it in parliament and legislature. The BJP government has not done anything on the issue during the last 8 years,’’ he said and said Congress party will certainly honour women and give more representation.

To questions on the controversial book, “Siddaramaiah Avara Nija Kanasugalu,’’ the KPCC Chief said the ruling BJP has nothing to speak on its achievements or performance except failures and corruption and therefore is harping on emotive issues to polarise society on the basis of caste and religion.

Shivakuamar said the BJP is not talking about the help extended by him for building over 300 temples in his Kanakapura constituency but only speaks about the proposal for installation of the statue of cross in place revered by Christians.

“The former President Ramanath Kovind, who belonged to BJP before becoming the President, had spoken eloquently in the state legislature on Tipu Sultan. But BJP is not talking about that or about the participation of former BJP chief ministers B S Yediyurappa or Jagadish Shettar in Tipu Jayanti celebrations but they target Siddaramaiah government for the same,’’ he said and pointed out that they have not created Tipu history or the saga of his valiant battles against the British.

Broken promises, corruption

Shivakumar attacked BJP for remaining silent on the unfulfilled and broken promises of BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on depositing Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of all citizens, doubling of income of farmers or creation of 2 crore jobs annually or about the complaints and suicides due to the 40% scams and corruption of BJP rule in all government contracts and other recruitments.

The KPCC chief lashed out at Basavaraj Bommai regime for making tall claims on getting Rs 10 lakh crore investment in the Global Investors Meet. Has any district benefited? What happened in Shivamogga or Dakshina Kannada? How many hundreds or thousands of crore as come in the form of investment, he asked and said BJP is busy looting public funds.