Kozhikode: Criticising the state government's stand on the women's wall, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala called Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan a Don Quixote, who is fighting a non-existent enemy. He alleged that the chief minister did not even consult with the opposition, before going ahead with the wall, for which public fund is being used. He also condemned the decision to include 'communal' elements and avoid secular people.
“The government gave an affidavit in the High Court that the wall would be formed with Rs 50 crore that was not spent for women's safety in this year's budget, whereas the chief minister told the assembly that no public funds would be used for the same. This is violation of rights and (Congress legislator) K C Joseph will file a notice against this today itself. If the fund for safety and rehabilitation of women is kept unspent, it is a serious lapse on the part of women and child development minister (K K Shylaja). The chief minister should take action against the minister,” Chennithala said here on Friday.
“Many districts do not have even rehabilitation centres to house the women in distress. If the Marxists want to hold an event of their own, they should use the party fund, not the public fund. Diversion of funds, against whatever passed by the assembly is a serious violation,” he added.
Chennithala also criticised the chief minister for adding people like Hindu Parliament leader C P Sugathan, and avoiding prominent Christian and Muslim organisations from the wall.
“The mode of utilisation of the fund is also not clear. Whether it is for the transportation of participants or posters or publicity? Chief secretary Tom Jose sought funds for this wall. He as well as the secretaries in various departments are answerable. After my intervention, the chief secretary corrected that publicity would be done by the women and child development ministry,” he said.
Chennithala added that 'Ayyappa Jyothi' planned by the BJP to counter the women's wall was also a political gimmick and no Congress worker would participate in either of these programmes.
The LDF government had said the 'women's wall' would be formed on January 1 from the northern district of Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram to demonstrate the secular and progressive mindset of the state. The government called for the initiative after various right-wing outfits protested the decision to implement the Supreme Court verdict that allowed women of all age groups to enter Sabarimala temple.
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