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Women must take up leadership roles, never imagined entering politics: Harsimrat
Harsimrat attended five all-women functions in Ludhiana and in each the SAD leaders exhorted the fairer sex to understand and harness its own power
Ludhiana Calling for more women to take up leadership roles, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Bathinda MP and former Union cabinet minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal pitched strongly for the fairer sex to take up decision-making roles as well during her visit to Ludhiana on Thursday.
“We ought to have more women in leadership roles where they make policy decisions. The attitude of society towards women has not changed, despite that, women have done so well taking every hurdle as a challenge,” she said, at one of the five all-women programmes she attended.
First, she interacted with middle-class women from Sukhmani Sahab Sewa Society, and then met doctors, businesswomen and entrepreneurs. A mock Parliament session had her as the chief guest next, followed by attendance at a Karwa Chauth fair organised by Laxmi Ladies Club. She also met around 100 businesswomen at a FICCIFLO (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Ladies Organisation) event.
In a candid mood, Harsimrat spoke her heart out and recounted how she never imagined she could become a politician until 2009 Lok Sabha Polls.
“I was doing Sewa at a gurdwara when news was dropped on to me by villagers that the party has announced me as its candidate for 2009 Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda. I never thought I will come this far. It has been a challenging, yet fruitful journey,” she said, giving all credit to her family for her achievements.
Having been brought up in the liberal environs of Delhi, going to Loreto Convent School and then studying textile design at South Delhi Polytechnic for Women, she said before her marriage to Sukhbir Singh Badal in 1991, the understanding was that he would not enter politics.
“Within two years, he did enter politics and I wanted to stop him. Look where we both are now and it has been a beautiful journey,” she said.
‘SAFETY, PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY A CHALLENGE’
Safety of women, almost negligible representation of women in industry and politics, and patriarchal society were issues that businesswomen flagged as concerns. The women added that there were no women-centric schemes. Harsimrat assured them that if voted to power, she will assure women get adequate representation and rights. She added that she herself is a classic example of men never understanding women and their power.
“In 2009, I went to villages in the state and was aghast to find that there were no toilets in many of these. Until a woman comes into decision-making and policy making, the struggle will continue,” she said.
Taking a dig at the state-led Congress government and the former CM Amarinder Singh, she claimed that Amarinder did not even come out of his ‘Palace’. “What will he understand about problems of the public?” she questioned.
On AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, she said, “Kejriwal was never visible all this time despite being in the opposition. Everyone knows the so called Mohalla clinics he boasts of in Delhi are in such poor shape,” she said.
EX-PUNJAB MINISTER LOSES iPHONE
Former Punjab cabinet minister Maheshinder Singh Grewal reported that his iPhone was stolen by pickpockets during the event at Gurmail Medical Hall on the College Road, where Harsimrat was the chief guest. “It’s a serious lapse that pickpockets thrive at such a place.”
