NEW DELHI, January 3: BJP's shadow Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced today that if the party came to power it would make education for girls free up to BA. He also reiterated the BJP's commitment to 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies.Addressing the national convention of the BJP's Mahila Morcha here today, Vajpayee virtually gave the broad outlines of a women's policy.
A uniform civil code, he said, would protect the interests of women as it would ensure gender bias-free laws on inheritance, divorce, maintenance and adoption.
Vajpayee's reference to the uniform civil code surprised observers since many of the BJP's allies have strong reservations on the issue.
On its part, the BJP has maintained so far that this subject (along with Ayodhya and Article 370) would be taken up only when the party gets a majority on its own.
Vajpayee also hinted that the Constitution could be amended to ensure the incorporation of gender concerns.
"There are some
countries which have in-built institutional tools to ensure that the decision-making process at the level of government do not bypass women's concerns ... budgetary provisions are scrutinised to ensure that women benefit from them as much as men. We, too, must consider these options to remove gender discrimination."
Investment in women's health, nutrition and education was crucial for the development of the country, he said, adding that it was shameful that even 50 years after Independence, the female literacy rate was only 40 per cent.
Vajpayee said that without reservation it would be difficult to secure increased representation of women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
"While men pay lip service to the need to uplift women, when it comes to giving them party tickets, they try to wriggle out. Reservation is the only way to secure increased participation of women in politics," he said.
He advocated the SEWA model to provide economic opportunities for women and eradicate poverty.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
