Mayawati: Congress step to give 40% ticket to women a drama

LUCKNOW: BSP chief Mayawati hit out at Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday for the party’s decision to reserve 40% seats for women in ticket distribution for the 2022 UP assembly elections.
The former UP chief minister said that when Congress was in power and witnessed better days, then it totally forgot about Dalits, backwards and women, but now when it has fallen on bad days which are not ending then it first placed a Dalit as chief minister of Punjab and has now announced that 40% of ticket distribution for UP election will be reserved for women.
“This is nothing but drama. If Congress was genuinely concerned about women, then why did it not bring in a law to reserve 33% seats in the Parliament and in state assemblies for women, while it was in power? Congress’ attitude of saying something and doing something else raises questions about its intent and policies,” Mayawati said.
She added that women form half the population in UP and in India and it is necessary to ensure not just their welfare but their security and respect. To achieve this, she said, strong will power was required which she saw in neither Congress nor BJP. “However, BSP has already proved that it takes these matters seriously and implemented mechanisms to ensure security and respect for women,” Mayawati said.