BRS, Kavitha have no right to speak on Women's Reservation Bill: Bandi Sanjay Kumar

Hyderabad: State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar, partynational vice-president D KAruna and MP Dr K Laxman on Friday lashed out at the BRS 'diksha' for women's reservations.

Addressing the "Mahila Gosa-BJP Bharosa" dharna of women BJP leaders at the party headquarters here, Bandi said BRS MLC Kalavakuntla Kavitha has no moral right to go on a diksha on the Women's Reservation Bill, as she does not have support of women of Telangana.

"It is an open secret that the only known woman in BRS is KCR's daughter. Even in Telangana Jagruthi, there is no other woman except Kavitha. People are laughing at her for taking up diksha on women's Bill," Bandi pointed out.

He asked why the Women's Reservation Bill was not on the Telangana Cabinet's agenda on Thursday? Why the BRS MPsdid not raise the issue in Parliament, and why no assurance was given to implement 33 per cent women's quota if BRS comes to power at the Centre.

Bandi wondered whyKCR was not following the 33 per cent quota for women in Telangana – in Cabinet, distribution of party tickets to MPs and MLAs and BRS posts.

Dismissing Kavitha's doubts on BJP commitment to the reservation Bill, he recalled how the NDA, under Prime Minister A B Vajpayee tabled the Bill on July 19,1998. But it was torn into pieces by RJD. Again, the NDA tabled the Bill in 1999, 2002 and 2003, but the Opposition stalled it, he added.

While the Modi government had inducted 11 women into the Cabinet, and some of them got key portfolios – like Sushma Swaraj as the first Foreign minister and Nirmala Sitaraman as the first Defence minister and Finance minister. "An Adivasi woman has been made the President. Eight women were made Governors and four CMs. Women were given prominent positions in all the three forces," he said.

On the other hand, the KCR government had done nothing for women, besides, remaining a mute spectator when women were being murdered on roads, subjected to atrocities and suffering due to lack of facilities in hostels.

He said women were scared of two flags – that of the BRS and the AIMIM, as they were protecting the accused in atrocities against women.

"It is shameful on the part of Kavitha to take up diksha for women, while she was involved in liquor business that has been ruining lives of women," he said, adding that the country was bowing its head in shame due to her nefarious activities.

Dr. Laxman quipped when people wanted drinking water, the CM offered them liquor. The Excise and Prohibition department has become the excise promotion department and offers people a scheme of buy-one and get-one to mopup government revenue.

"TS liquor policy resulted in a lack of security for women and addiction to liquor, destroying families. Liquor had become a revenue source. The BRS is letting liquor flow as far as Delhi and Punjab. The BRS, YSRCP and AAP leaders have come to the same page for a liquor policy. The earlier liquor policy of Delhi had earned Rs 300 crore. But,after it was changed the revenue is going into pockets of retailers. But, the 'prince' (Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao) did not mention it. Dr. Laxman asked whether the ACB cases were filed at the behest of BRS?

The BRS leaders projected the CBI and ED raids as attacks on them. Would the same applies to the police and the ACB raid in Telangana, he questioned. The MP criticised the pink party for lacking trust inconstitutional institutions, and courts after threatening to ban the media for exposing its wrongdoings.