'Government looks the other way as women suffer'

She was speaking after inaugurating the third district sammelana of the Sanghatane organised at Anjuman Shaadi Mahal in Kolar on Saturday.

A woman needs to lead a healthy life in order to have a safe and healthy delivery. “But this is proving impossible for women who cannot afford healthy food,” she said.
The Centre alloted merely Rs 9.6 crores for the National Women’s Forum in the last budget. Also while Rs 53 crores were alloted for prevention of exploitation of women, the amount actually expended was a meagre Rs 16 lakhs, she added.

Female foeticide cases continue to prevail in several parts of the country. The laws to prevent them are not put into effect properly. This is also the reason for increasing gender bias in the country, she said.

The post of the State Women’s Forum President went empty more than a year ago. However, the government shows no interest in filling the post for the body specifically created for women’s security and welfare, said Lakshmi, with regret.

Exploitation of all kinds
Former MLA G V Shrirama Reddy, who also spoke on the occasion, said women and dalits top the list of people undergoing social and economic exploitation.Women are considered by the political parties as nothing more than vote banks. There is no sincere effort undertaken to eradicate the problems of women, added Shrirana  Reddy.

The General Secretary of the Sanghatane’s District Unit V Geetha, Welcome Committee President K S Chandrashekhar also spoke.

33 per cent reservation
The leaders speak a lot privately about 33 per cent reservation for women. However, when the matter is raised in the Legislature, all of them oppose fiercely, said Reddy.
The parties hardly prove to be pro-development. Only when they cease to neglect women, who form 50 per cent of the population, while taking important political decisions, will we see any improvement in the condition of women, he added.
Mamata Reddy welcomed the gathering. Jyothi was the master of ceremony.
Later, the activities during the last three years was discussed by the members of various taluk-level units at the meeting.

Leaders of the Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane Gowramma, Eshwaramma, Kumari, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Gandhinagar Narayanaswami, Karnataka Regional Raitha Sangha member D M Venkatesh, DYFI Sampangi, Students Federation of Inidia Kolar District Secretary Ambarish were present on the occasion.