Congress will reserve 50% government jobs for women: Manish Tewari

On the occasion, district Congress president HS Lucky challenged BJP Chandigarh president Jatinder Pal Malhotra to participate in a debate with him, since BJP candidate Sanjay Tandon was not responding to the debate challenge thrown by Tewari

Congress candidate Manish Tewari on Tuesday said if voted to power, the party will provide 50% reservation to women in government jobs.

Congress candidate Manish Tewari interacting with elderly voters during his campaign in Chandigarh on Tuesday. (HT photo)

Addressing a meeting of city-based women, organised by councillor Taruna Mehta in Sector 30, Tewari said providing 50% reservation to women in government jobs was one of the 25 guarantees promised by the Congress in its election manifesto.

The two-time MP said the Congress had always encouraged the progress of women and their participation in public life, including politics. He pointed out that it was Congress prime minister Rajiv Gandhi who provided 33% reservation in local bodies to women.

Besides, Tewari added that to uplift the poor and downtrodden women, the Congress manifesto had promised the “Grah Lakshmi” scheme, under which one female member in every poor family will get ₹1 lakh every year directly in her bank account.

‘BJP on its way out’

At another gathering, Tewari said unlike the BJP’s “jumlas”, the Congress vision was welfare-centric, touching all sections of society, including youth, women, labourers, workers and farmers.

The former Union minister said after completion of the third phase of polling, it was now more than clear that the BJP had already been cleansed out and the formal announcement will be made on June 4 once the votes were counted. “The writing is on the wall that BJP is on the way out,” he remarked.

Interacting with residents, traders, and government and private employees during his foot march in Sector 35, Tewari spelt out some of guarantees promised by the Congress, particularly relating to providing jobs and regular monthly monetary assistance to the poor families.

Himachal Pradesh MLA and former HP Congress president Kuldeep Singh Rathore was also in the city to campaign in Tewari’s support.

Addressing a press conference, Rathore said the BJP’s disappointment was clear in the first two phases of polling. “There’s no way, the BJP will get 400 seats, as claimed by its leaders. The way the BJP is targeting senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and calling him ‘shehzada’ doesn’t reflect well. Democracy needs to be protected,” he said.

Lucky challenges Malhotra for debate

On the occasion, district Congress president HS Lucky challenged BJP Chandigarh president Jatinder Pal Malhotra to participate in a debate with him, since BJP candidate Sanjay Tandon was not responding to the debate challenge thrown by Tewari.

He added that four-time Chandigarh MP Pawan Bansal will be joining the party’s election campaign soon.

Meanwhile, BJP Mandal 26 general secretary Mamta Dogra, who is also a social activist, joined hands with the Congress, stating that there was a lot of difference between BJP’s words and actions.