Naidu vows to fight for women empowerment

HYDERABAD: TDP supremo and AndhraPradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday called upon people to helpbring a ''crushing defeat'' to those parties who opposed Women Reservation Bill inParliament and asserted that his party would continue its fight for politicalempowerment of women."Women in this country will not get justiceuntil they are provided one-third reservation in Parliament and assemblies. Ourfight will continue till this legislation becomes a reality," Naidu said at ameeting organised by NTR Memorial Trust, of which he is the Chairman, on theoccasion of International Women''s Day.Without naming any party, hesaid some forces had put obstacles in the way of the reservation bill andscuttled its passage by Parliament.Assuring women that his partywould stand by them in their fight to achieve political empowerment, Naidu saidtime had come for women to play a greater role in politics and in deciding thepolicy matters.Virtually turning the event into a forum for partycampaign, he told a gathering of women self-help groups and other women fromvarious walks of life "my government has been striving hard to improve the lotof women and introduced several welfare schemes for them. I seek your support inthe coming elections to ensure continuity in development."The ChiefMinister gave away awards to 11 prominent women achievers in various fieldsincluding tennis sensation Sania Mirza, writer Yaddanapudi Sulochanarani,veteran actress Anjali Devi and singer Shobharaj.