Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 5: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Dr G Parameshwar, has asked the women's wing of his party to fan off activists of the party with instructions to visit every house and present vermillion and turmeric powder to Hindu women in order to woo them towards the party in the forthcoming election. Vermillion and turmeric powder are not only used in sacred ceremonies by Hindus, but they are revered as proud marks of married women who exchange them during religious ceremonies with other women.

Parameshwara was addressing the participants of the executive meeting of the women's wing of his party on Saturday November 4 at palace ground here. "Assembly election will be held in the state during April next year. The women workers of the party should visit individual houses and distribute vermillion and turmeric powder. As district level programmes to pay tributes to Indira Gandhi has also been planned, they can present Indira Deepa (earthen lamps in memory of Indira Gandhi) to individual households, he suggested.

Dr G Parameshwar

He asked the women's Congress to organize 'Indira Deepa Namana' programme at gram panchayat level as the birth centenary of the great leader falls on November 19. "In memory of the late Prime Minister, who was among the pioneers who fought for women empowerment and handed political power to women, our workers should present earthen lamps in her memory to each of the houses," he said.

He called upon women to serve different sectors and gain enough popularity to win elections. He said that the party is prepared to give more than 33 percent seats currently earmarked for women, if enough winnable women candidates are available. "We have, for the first time, provided more opportunities to women when appointing office bearers and chairpersons for corporations and boards. We also have made it a rule to accommodate three women in each of the booth level committees of the party," he explained.