In the realm of International Women’s Day, the Congress launched a scathing critique at the Modi administration, probing the notable absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Manipur and his conspicuous silence regarding allegations of sexual misconduct by women wrestlers against a BJP MP.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary, remarked on this International Women’s Day, stating, “We don’t anticipate the prime minister’s actions to transcend mere tributes to women.”
Nevertheless, Ramesh articulated pressing queries resonating among women nationwide: “Manipur finds itself embroiled in a quasi-civil strife for the past year, with women standing as primary casualties. Visuals depict women being subjected to assault and public humiliation in a state ensnared in a dual-anyay governance of BJP both at the state and central levels. Why has the Prime Minister not deigned to visit the beleaguered state?” he articulated in a post on X.
“The prime minister’s reticence on grave allegations of harassment by women wrestlers against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is notable,” added Ramesh.
Ramesh further probed the Prime Minister’s stance on this issue, questioning whether Modi considers Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh an integral part of ‘Modi ka Parivar.’ “Modi hain to mehengai hain! A surge in the prices of sustenance and essential commodities is palpable. Does the prime minister harbor plans to shield households from the repercussions of this inflation?” queried Ramesh.
He contended that a hallmark of the “anyay kaal” era is the pervasive unemployment crisis. “A particularly disconcerting outcome is the discouragement of women job seekers, leading to their withdrawal from the workforce,” he observed.
The percentage of women in the labor force has plummeted by 20 percent compared to the tenure of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, a trend posing a potential long-term threat to the economy, as per Ramesh.
“Does the prime minister have a strategy to reintegrate women into the economic mainstream?” inquired Ramesh. He pointed out that while the Prime Minister launched the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” initiative with great fanfare in 2014, nearly 80 percent of the scheme’s budget is allocated to advertisements.
“Does the prime minister harbor a more substantive vision to combat female infanticide and champion women’s education, or is this issue merely another avenue for self-promotion through advertisements?” he challenged. “The women of India seek and merit answers. BJP Hatao, Beti Bachao!” Ramesh concluded.