The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday announced the formation of its women’s wing. The announcement came on the first death anniversary of Santosh Koli, the party’s candidate from Seemapuri who was killed before the assembly polls last year.
The party’s women’s wing, ‘Aap Ki Mahila Shakti’, will be headed by Bandana Kumari, MLA from Shalimar Bagh. It was decided that units of the wing would be set up in all the districts of the Capital and later smaller committees would be formed in all the 70 constituencies.
Over 500 people, including Koli’s family, neighbours and party workers gathered at Ramlila Maidan in east Delhi’s Sundar Nagri to remember the leader. She was 28-years when she died.
“She was born here and had spent all her life in this neighbourhood. We all saw the atrocities done on people here but no one had the courage to raise their voice against the authorities. Santosh believed we deserved a better life and took the onus upon herself,” said a Kala Devi, Koli’s mother.
The top leadership of AAP including Arvind Kejriwal, Yogendra Yadav, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai were present to pay homage to the leader. Poems were recited, songs sung and a play was staged to remember Koli and to mark her short but eventful life.
{{/usCountry}}The top leadership of AAP including Arvind Kejriwal, Yogendra Yadav, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai were present to pay homage to the leader. Poems were recited, songs sung and a play was staged to remember Koli and to mark her short but eventful life.
{{/usCountry}}Dharmendra Singh Koli, Santosh’s brother later contested the elections and won from the seat.
“Though Santosh is not with us today, the biggest tribute that we can pay to her sacrifice is by empowering women like her to fight the battle which she left midway. If women take the responsibility of their security then the society will surely transform,” said Arvind Kejriwal.