Naidu calls for NDA protests against INDIA Bloc over women’s bill

Vijayawada: Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday directed NDA leaders in Andhra Pradesh to launch statewide programmes protesting the role of the INDIA bloc parties in blocking the Women's Reservation Bill in parliament. In a teleconference with NDA MLAs, MLCs, MPs and ministers, also attended by BJP state president PVN Madhav and Jana Sena leader and minister Nadendla Manohar, Naidu said that a special session of the assembly will be convened if required.Naidu constituted a committee to coordinate programmes across the state to highlight the issue. The committee will comprise TDP president Palla Srinivasa Rao, BJP state president PVN Madhav and Nadendla Manohar from Jana Sena.The chief minister instructed every MLA to hold press conferences in their respective assembly constituencies to explain the issue to the public. NDA leaders also decided during the teleconference to organise public meetings in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati.Taking a swipe at the INDIA bloc parties, Naidu said they committed a grave injustice to women by opposing the Bill, while stating that NDA parties consistently worked towards securing women's rights. He asked party leaders to explain to the public the role of the Congress, TMC and DMK in opposing the legislation.The CM called for state-, district- and mandal-level protest meetings under the banner of ‘Stree Shakti' and asked TDP, Jana Sena and BJP leaders to coordinate agitation programmes. He said protests should be completed by April 30.Naidu said Union home minister Amit Shah assured that no state would suffer due to delimitation and that amendments could be made to the bill if required. Asserting the party's stand on women's empowerment, Naidu pointed out that India's first women's university was established by N T Rama Rao and that women's reservations in local bodies were implemented earlier by the TDP. Stating that NDA parties stood for women's empowerment, Naidu alleged that the INDIA bloc parties adopted an anti-women stance.