Congress leader Selja Kumari Friday alleged Prime Minister has only paid
lip-service to the issues concerning women in the last five years, with no progress been made on Women's Reservation Bill pending for passage in Parliament.
Addressing Dalit women from across the country on the International Women's Day at an event organised by the Congress' SC department here, she said the Congress, if voted to power, will ensure the passage of the Bill.
The Bill provides for 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and state legislatures.
Stating that the Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha in 2010 during the regime of Congress on the directions of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Selja said the efforts made by the party towards empowering women was "incomparable" and urged those attending the event to "ask the Modi government what it has done to address the concerns and issues related to women".
"We should not forget that it was because of Rajiv Gandhi that women got proper representation in Panchayati Raj system. The Congress government had taken many such steps towards empowering women," the former Union minister said.
She also alleged that atrocities on Dalits and especially on Dalit women have increased under the Modi government and that the dispensation instead of addressing the issues was trying to distract people's attention.
Delhi Congress unit chief Sheila Dikshit echoed Selja's sentiments and said no other party other than Congress has worked for women empowerment.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)