<p class="title">Stressing on the importance of women empowerment for nation-building, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the custom of 'ghoonghat' must be eradicated at the earliest.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Expressing displeasure at the practice of covering women's faces with a 'ghoonghat' or veil in some rural areas, Gehlot said the custom belongs to a bygone era.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Time has changed now but the practice of 'ghoonghat' is still there in villages. What is right in confining a woman to 'ghoonghat'? Women cannot progress till the 'ghoonghat' exists," he said at a programme on women empowerment in Jaipur organised by an NGO.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gehlot said women will be able to come forward and play a constructive role in nation-building only when they are not forced to cover their faces.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Women are empowered. They have the capacity to bring changes in society and their role is very crucial," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"You (women) move forward with strength, the state government is with you," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gehlot also emphasized the importance of completely eradicating the practice of child marriages, saying it destroys the lives of children.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The chief minister said his government is serious about crime against women and therefore decided earlier this year to depute a senior police officer at the district level to monitor cases of crime against women.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The officer will look after all such cases and will ensure that justice is done," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gehlot also said that while the state government has been providing self-defence training to school girls, he has now directed officials to extend the programme to all girls willing to join it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also highlighted schemes and programmes of his government and launched a book based on women's struggles.</p>.<p class="bodytext">State Women and Child Development Minister Mamta Bhupesh was present at the event.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Talking to reporters later, Gehlot praised former prime minister Indira Gandhi as a great leader and cited the Green Revolution and bifurcation of Pakistan among her achievements.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say that she was 'Durga'," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The chief minister also tried to take a political potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming he has not mentioned Gandhi "even once in five-six years".</p>.<p class="bodytext">"She was a woman who raised the honour of women all over the world. But the prime minister is hesitant in taking her name," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Replying to a question on the coming civic body polls, Gehlot asserted, "We will win the elections."</p>
<p class="title">Stressing on the importance of women empowerment for nation-building, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the custom of 'ghoonghat' must be eradicated at the earliest.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Expressing displeasure at the practice of covering women's faces with a 'ghoonghat' or veil in some rural areas, Gehlot said the custom belongs to a bygone era.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Time has changed now but the practice of 'ghoonghat' is still there in villages. What is right in confining a woman to 'ghoonghat'? Women cannot progress till the 'ghoonghat' exists," he said at a programme on women empowerment in Jaipur organised by an NGO.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gehlot said women will be able to come forward and play a constructive role in nation-building only when they are not forced to cover their faces.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Women are empowered. They have the capacity to bring changes in society and their role is very crucial," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"You (women) move forward with strength, the state government is with you," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gehlot also emphasized the importance of completely eradicating the practice of child marriages, saying it destroys the lives of children.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The chief minister said his government is serious about crime against women and therefore decided earlier this year to depute a senior police officer at the district level to monitor cases of crime against women.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The officer will look after all such cases and will ensure that justice is done," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gehlot also said that while the state government has been providing self-defence training to school girls, he has now directed officials to extend the programme to all girls willing to join it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also highlighted schemes and programmes of his government and launched a book based on women's struggles.</p>.<p class="bodytext">State Women and Child Development Minister Mamta Bhupesh was present at the event.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Talking to reporters later, Gehlot praised former prime minister Indira Gandhi as a great leader and cited the Green Revolution and bifurcation of Pakistan among her achievements.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say that she was 'Durga'," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The chief minister also tried to take a political potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming he has not mentioned Gandhi "even once in five-six years".</p>.<p class="bodytext">"She was a woman who raised the honour of women all over the world. But the prime minister is hesitant in taking her name," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Replying to a question on the coming civic body polls, Gehlot asserted, "We will win the elections."</p>