Women farmers take centre stage at protest sites
New Delhi: Thousands of women farmers held protest marches and delivered speeches at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur protest sites at Delhi's borders on International Women's Day.
Noting that women contribute significantly to the country's farming sector, the organisers have laid out elaborate plans to let women farmers manage the stage, arrange food and security and share tales of their struggles on the occasion.
"The stage is being managed by women, the speakers are all women and the issues that are being discussed are of both farming and women farmers more specifically," farmer leader Kavitha Kuruganti told PTI on Monday.
"The discourse of the debate is focusing on women farmers. The debate is also on the contribution of women in this movement," said Kuruganti, who is also a member of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha.
She added that the participation of women has increased significantly with the arrival of "thousands of women".
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at the Delhi border points for over 100 days, demanding the repeal of farm laws and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price for their crops.
International Women's Day is celebrated across the world on March 8 and it is a day when women are recognised for their achievements, according to the United Nations.
This year's theme -- 'Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world' -- celebrates the tremendous efforts by women in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the pandemic, and highlights the gaps that remain, the UN Women stated.
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Cong claims TVK chief Vijay has sought its support for govt formation in Tamil Nadu
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Tuesday claimed that TVK chief Vijay has sought its support for government formation in Tamil Nadu and its leadership has directed the state unit to take a final decision on the matter, keeping in view the state's sentiments.
The party, which fought the assembly election in alliance with the DMK, asserted that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government and that it is determined "not to have the BJP and its proxies run the government of Tamil Nadu in any manner".
Top Congress leaders held a meeting at party chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Tuesday evening that was attended by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar, among others.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Congress general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal said the Congress leadership discussed the post-election scenario in Tamil Nadu.
"TVK President Thiru Vijay has requested the Indian National Congress for support to form a Government in Tamil Nadu. He has spoken about drawing inspiration from Perumthalaivar Kamaraj as well, in his political mission.
"The INC is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government that is committed to protecting the Constitution in letter and spirit. The INC is determined not to have the BJP and its proxies run the Government of Tamil Nadu in any manner," he said.
"Accordingly, the Congress leadership has directed the TNCC to take a final decision on Thiru Vijay's request, keeping in view the sentiments of the state reflected in the electoral verdict," Venugopal told reporters.
Vijay's TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, falling short of the halfway mark. He needs the support of 10 MLAs to form a government with a simple majority. The results were declared only on Monday.
The Congress has won five seats, while the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has bagged four seats. The CPI and CPI-M have two seats each.
On the other hand, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has won 59 seats while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has won 47 seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won only one seat and so have the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK), while the VCK has won two seats.
The Congress had fought the assembly polls in a pre-poll alliance with the DMK, while the BJP had a tie-up with the AIADMK.
