Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday alleged in Madurai that Congress and the DMK are uneasy about women gaining political power, claiming it would weaken what he described as “family dominance” within their parties.
He said the two parties had stalled the women’s reservation bill for years and opposed it when opportunities arose, arguing that their approach keeps women’s empowerment as “talk” rather than action.
Citing government initiatives, Mandaviya said the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana provides nutrition and financial support to benefit about 4 crore people. He added that 12 crore women have opened bank accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, and that more than 67% have received bank credit totalling Rs 16.33 lakh crore.
He also claimed women’s unemployment has fallen from 5.6% to 3.1%. Referring to constitutional provisions on periodic delimitation, he said increased representation would have strengthened SC and ST communities, and listed potential rises in Lok Sabha seats for several states, including Tamil Nadu.
Mandaviya alleged that Congress and the DMK blocked these changes out of fear that more seats and wider representation would dilute their political control, and said women would respond democratically to those who stand in the way of their progress.
