Bengaluru, Aug 14 (IANS) BJP MLAs and MLCs staged a protest at Vidhana Soudha on Friday, condemning the government for not having a single woman in the Karnataka Cabinet and accusing it of adopting an “anti-women” approach.
The protest was held near the Bhuvaneshwari statue at Vidhana Soudha under the leadership of BJP State President and MLA, B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy.
The MLAs and MLCs raised slogans against the government and held placards bearing messages such as: “First Cabinet in Karnataka’s history without women representation”, “Shame on the Congress party for opposing the Women’s Reservation Bill”, “No priority for women, priority only for money”, and “Women are only for casting votes, while candidates who pay are given Cabinet berths.”
It may be noted that only one Cabinet post remains vacant in Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s Cabinet. Although the Congress had announced the name of MLC Gayathri Shantegowda for the Cabinet berth, she was later not allowed to take oath.
Addressing the protesters, Vijayendra alleged that the government had insulted women by denying them representation in the Cabinet despite women constituting nearly 50 per cent of the state’s population.
“Women constitute 50 per cent of the population in the state and the country. They should be given equal opportunities and appropriate representation,” Vijayendra said.
Vijayendra said it was particularly unfortunate that Karnataka, which is associated with social reformers such as Basavanna and Akkamahadevi, was witnessing a Legislative Assembly session with no woman minister in the Cabinet for the first time in the state’s history.
He also criticised the government for reportedly considering a woman for induction into the Cabinet during the recent expansion but subsequently dropping her name.
“Announcing the name of a woman minister and later dropping it is insulting,” he said, accusing the state government of disrespecting women by keeping them out of the Cabinet.
The BJP state president said his party strongly condemned the government’s decision and demanded adequate representation for women.
On the controversy surrounding the induction of former minister B. Nagendra into the Cabinet, Vijayendra said the BJP was not opposed to his caste or community but to inducting a person facing allegations of corruption into the Cabinet.
He said Nagendra had earlier resigned as minister amid the alleged Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam during the previous Siddaramaiah-led government.
“The BJP is not opposing Nagendra because of his caste. We are opposing the decision to induct a person facing corruption allegations into the Cabinet. Corruption should not be given a caste colour,” Vijayendra said.
He said the BJP would have no objection to Nagendra becoming a minister after he was completely cleared of the allegations in the case.
Vijayendra also alleged that funds earmarked for the development of Scheduled Tribes had been misused and said the allegations surrounding the Valmiki Corporation case were serious.
He alleged that several prominent members of the Valmiki community had met him and expressed their displeasure over Nagendra’s re-induction into the Cabinet, saying it amounted to an insult to the community.
Vijayendra said community leaders had suggested launching protests, including a statewide campaign and padayatra, against the decision. He added that the BJP would discuss the matter with its senior leaders before deciding on its next course of action.
–IANS
mka/rad