Parties now focus on wooing women

Bharat Khanna

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 14

Political parties like the SAD (B) and the AAP have started focusing on ‘Women participation’ in Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency represented by Badal’s bahu Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The AAP (Aam Admi Party) has started motivating women to participate in rallies whereas the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) also focused on need of women participation and held a meeting in Budhlada constituency of Mansa district on Saturday.

State Women Wing in-charge AAP, Baljinder Kaur, while addressing her rally in Maur on Sunday, appealed men in gathering to allow and boost the women to participate in the rallies of the AAP. She underlined the need for participation of young girls that too were seen in the crowd.

Baljinder Kaur, while addressing the gathering in Maur on Sunday, expressed her happiness to see the crowd of women and claimed that she wants to see more women participating into the rallies and political activity. On sidelines of rally she said, “In-charge for women wing Punjab, in all 13 Lok Sabha constituencies, has been appointed. The APP would appoint women incharge in all sectors in Punjab as every sector covers three assembly segments. The rural belt is also focused thoroughly as the women has been suppressed and is left behind in education sector. We would bring awareness among the women and make them rise in all aspects of life, including social and political.

It’s noteworthy that on Saturday SAD (B) Women Wing Punjab organised a meeting at Budhlada constituency in the Mansa district under the leadership of vice-president of the Women Wing Punjab SAD (B), Chitwant Kaur Smao and the secretary Kamaljeet Kaur Khiala where a large number of women were present while some others were honored with designation letters. Balveer Kaur Budhlada was appointed as district president (Rural), Paramjit Kaur as president or Budhlada Urban, and Nachattar Kaur for Mansa (Urban), informed Chitwant Kaur. These leading women discussed the issue of women facing in social, political, domestic life and problems relating to girls education.

Chitwant Kaur Samaon said, “We are leading our society towards pure patriarchal system and society is mislead from the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev. But now, women should lead the moment for their rights, dignity and identity and for this they should start from there own home. If women promise themselves to do their duties being a women as not tolerating violence against them and if they came forward to fight for their rights then half of society’s problems will get solved. It was for the first time that women were ever honored with such a grace and its only the SAD (B) that had honored them.”

She asked women to join the women wing to be part of a society, Women Akali Dal who took their rights at first instance and requested to be the supportive hands and with the support of Harsimrat Kaur Badal they can raise their voice up to the Parliament.

It’s pertinent to mention that focusing on women empowerment, the SAD – BJP, in its manifesto, released before the 2014 Lok Sabha had claimed that women empowerment will be given key emphasis as a part of the overall drive for ensuring safety, security and dignity of women in the society.

In all the nine segments, including Bathinda (Urban), Bathinda (Rural), Bhucho, Talwandi Sabo, Maur, Lambi, Mansa, Budhlada and Sardulgarh that falls in Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency the women electors were leading in Bathinda Urban with 92219 followed by Mansa 91,398 electors.

Total voters in Mansa segment were highest with 1,96,366 votes, followed by Bathinda Urban with 1,95,720, then 1,75,458 in Budhlada, 1,72,464 electors in Bhucho, 1,64,438 electors in Sardulgarh segment, 1,53,801 in Maur, 1,49,624 in Lambi, 1,48,636 in Bathinda Rural and 1,43,730 electors in Talwandi sabo segment of Bathinda constituency.

Out of total votes 11,76,767 polled in Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency Harsimrat Kaur Badal got 5,14,727 votes to mark her victory for the 2014 Lok Sabha.

Out of total 253 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, a total of 19 women candidates had contested in about eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Punjab, including five in Faridkot seat alone. However, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Khadoor Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib and Ferozepur Lok Sabha seats witness no women candidate in fray. Out of total 1.95 crore voters in Punjab about 92 lakh were women that were eligible to cast their votes at 21,957 polling stations, including 15,463 in rural areas.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, only 13 women out of a total of 218 candidates, had run for a parliamentary seat in Punjab.

• In all the nine segments, including Bathinda (Urban), Bathinda (Rural), Bhucho, Talwandi Sabo, Maur, Lambi, Mansa, Budhlada and Sardulgarh that falls in Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, the women electors were leading in Bathinda Urban with 92,219 followed by Mansa 91,398 electors.
• Total voters in Mansa segment were highest with 1,96,366 votes, followed by Bathinda Urban with 1,95,720, then 1,75,458 in Budhlada, 1,72,464 electors in Bhucho, 1,64,438 electors in Sardulgarh segment, 1,53,801 in Maur, 1,49,624 in Lambi, 1,48,636 in Bathinda Rural and 1,43,730 electors in Talwandi Sabo segment of Bathinda constituency.
• Out of a total of 11,76,767 votes in Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, Harsimrat Kaur Badal got 5,14,727 votes to mark her victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
• Out of 253 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, a total of 19 women candidates had contested in eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Punjab, including five in Faridkot seat alone. However, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Khadoor Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib and Ferozepur Lok Sabha seats did not witness women candidates in the fray. 
• In 2012 assembly elections, too, women had contested enthusiastically in Mansa. Ranjit Kaur Bhatti fought from Budhlada (reserved) constituency on Sanjha Morcha ticket. However, she lost the battle to Chitan Singh Smao (SAD-B). Besides being sarpanch of Joian village in Budhlada, Bhatti remained a member of Zila Parishad and the Punjab Mahila Commission and SAD (B) former district president of women’s wing Mansa.
• An undergraduate and a housewife, the first time candidate, Gurpreet Kaur Dhaliwal Mansa (General), too, tested her ability by running for the 2012 assembly battleground on a Congress ticket though she lost to SAD (B) Prem Mittal.
• During the Municipal Corporation elections, eight women candidates, including six independent, contested enthusiastically where all of them promised amelioration of the impoverished, construction of roads and laying of sewerage pipelines.