AGARTALA, March 6 - Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar today lambasted the BJP-led Government at Centre for depraving the women of the country instead of giving them their legitimate rights.
Addressing a mass gathering of women activists of All India Democratic Women�s Association (AIDWA) here on Monday to mark the International Women�s Day, Sarkar said that the protection of women rights in the country, especially in the BJP ruled States are worst in the country.
The BJP-led Government, like the previous Congress-led Government, is very much reluctant on women empowerment, said Sarkar, adding that the country should unitedly protest to protect democracy in the nation.
�The people should come forward to build a exploitation-free society and a secular environment�, said Sarkar adding that reactionary and divisive forces are trying to destabilise the peace and development of the State by spreading messages of hatred.
He stressed that a State or a country can never develop without educating the women. Tripura has now achieved the number one State status in terms of literacy and it was possible due to awareness of women, said Sarkar.
Mentioning the achievements of Left Front Government, the Chief Minister said, Tripura has become a pioneer in the country for 50 per cent reservation of women in three-tier panchayats besides other civic bodies. But even after 69 years of independence, the country is still unable to make one-third reservation for women in Parliament, he lamented.
He strongly criticised the anti-people policies of Narendra Modi-led government, and appealed to the people of the State to organise a strong movement against the anti-people policies of the Union Government.
The AIDWA during the mass rally demanded work for all with equal wages, united movement against fundamentalists and immediate passage of bill for women reservation.
