Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy countered Opposition Leader N Dharam Singh’s charge that BJP-JD(S) coalition government had neglected women by saying that the charge was being made out of jealousy.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Rs 4.5 crore Danayakana Lift Irrigation Project at Mariammanahalli on Tuesday.

Development of women was given priority by the coalition government. His government had initiated Bhagyalaxmi project for women, extended financial assistance for Devadasis and increased monthly pension for widows. His government was striving to make women economically self-sufficient, he said.

Kumaraswamy challenged Dharam Singh to tell people what the Congress had done for the uplift of women since Indian Independence instead of asking the BJP-JD(S) coalition government what it had done in the last 18 months it was in power.

Dharam was making the charge unable to see the achievements of the coalition government, he said.
The coalition government had given top priority for the education of girls. There was no dearth of finance for developmental programmes for girls, he added.

‘End caste politics’
He called for an end to caste-based politics. Politicians should not be identified by their caste but by the work they do. People must support politicians who work. Caste-based politics had prevented equality in the society. There were only two castes, rich and poor. Efforts must be made to eradicate poverty, he said.