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AAP manifesto high on women’s safety
Decriminalisation of gay sex, disqualification of MPs and MLAs charged with gender-related violence, strict laws against sex-selective abortions, recognition of madrassa degrees by universities, credit facilities and mixed neighbourhoods for minorities are some of the focal points of the Aam Aadmi Party’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.
Decriminalisation of gay sex, disqualification of MPs and MLAs charged with gender-related violence, strict laws against sex-selective abortions, recognition of madrassa degrees by universities, credit facilities and mixed neighbourhoods for minorities are some of the focal points of the Aam Aadmi Party’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.
“The party stands for the safety, security and equality for the women of this country and therefore it has prominently included measures in this regard in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections,” a party leader privy to the manifesto told HT on condition of anonymity.
The party’s top decision-making body, the political affairs committee, has almost finalised the fine print of the manifesto, which will be unveiled soon.
Giving details, the leader said that for the first time a party has included something path-breaking like disqualification of MLAs and MPs charged with violence against women in its manifesto.”
The party will also demand a detailed plan of action from all government agencies to prevent violence against women.
After the CPM put decriminalisation of gay sex in its manifesto, AAP became the second party to do so. “We stand by the Delhi HC judgment, which decriminalised gay sex, and we will ask for amendments in the Indian Penal Code to overturn the Supreme Court order, which criminalised it again,” the party leader said.
AAP’s manifesto is also high on welfare of minorities that includes recognition of madrassa degrees by colleges and universities, inclusion of all Dalit Muslims in the scheduled caste category.
“Ghettoisation of Muslims in towns and cities is another concern for the party and to stop it we have proposed mixed neighbourhoods,” the leader said.
The manifesto also pitches for modernisation of the security forces coupled with development of the marginalised as a long-term solution to the Maoist problem.
On the corruption front, the party will stick to its demand for the Jan Lokpal Bill.
