Women's Reservation Act opportunity for Congress to support aspiring women leaders: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said the Women's Reservation Act is an opportunity for the Congress to nurture and support both established and aspiring women leaders.
In his message on the 40th anniversary of the All India Mahila Congress (AIMC), Gandhi said that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra, he met remarkable women across India determined to make a difference.
"Many had the passion, perseverance and commitment to drive far reaching changes in society. Some of the fiercest and most fearless voices against injustice were of women," the former Congress chief said.
In this day and age, there is no reason whatsoever to deny women meaningful opportunities in public life, he asserted.
Gandhi congratulated Mahila Congress leaders and members, both past and present, who built this organisation brick by brick.
AIMC has come a long way since the 1984 Bangalore Convention, he said, adding that over the last four decades, the AIMC has been a fearless voice for justice and has firmly established itself as one of the most active frontal organisations in the Congress party.
"On this occasion, I would like to congratulate the AIMC on the launch of the nationwide online membership drive for the first time," he said.
"In a system often stacked against women, it is critical for each one of you to fight for and claim your rightful share of social, economic and political power. I am happy to know that the membership drive will be followed by a pan-India leadership training program," Gandhi said.
The Women's Reservation Act is an opportunity for the Congress to identity, nurture and support both established and aspiring women leaders, he said.
"We have witnessed the radical change ushered in by the 73rd and 74th Amendment. This must inspire us to do more," he said.
"I hope the AIMC continues to work towards ensuring greater political participation of women across caste, class and religious lines. Lastly, I salute your dedication to a cause greater than yourself, and wish the AIMC the very best in its future endeavours," Gandhi said.
In a post on X, he said, "Congratulations and best wishes to all the office bearers and workers on the foundation day of All India Mahila Congress. Your tireless work is playing an important role in empowering the women of India."
"Salute to your struggle and dedication for their respect, equality and safety," he said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said 'aadhi aabadi poora haq' (half population gets full rights) is a constitutional obligation to which the Congress party is fully committed.
The women power of our country has contributed equally to nation building, from the freedom struggle to space flight. It is the responsibility of the All India Mahila Congress to fight for the rights of our women from the streets to Parliament and fight strongly against women's insecurity, inflation, unemployment, social exploitation, inequality, and misogynistic mentality, Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.
"Many congratulations and best wishes to all the office bearers and workers on Mahila Congress Foundation Day," he said.
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Israel launches first airstrike on Lebanon since ceasefire, accusing Hezbollah of breaching truce
Beirut, Nov 28: The Israeli military on Thursday said its warplanes fired on southern Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah activity at a rocket storage facility, the first Israeli airstrike a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold.
There was no immediate word on casualties from Israel's aerial attack, which came hours after the Israeli military said it fired on people trying to return to certain areas in southern Lebanon. Israel said they were violating the ceasefire agreement, without providing details. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said two people were wounded.
The back-to-back incidents stirred unease about the agreement, brokered by the United States and France, which includes an initial two-month ceasefire in which Hezbollah members are to withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border. The buffer zone would be patrolled by Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers.
On Thursday, the second day of a ceasefire after more than a year of bloody conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon's state news agency reported that Israeli fire targeted civilians in Markaba, close to the border, without providing further details. Israel said it fired artillery in three other locations near the border. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
An Associated Press reporter in northern Israel near the border heard Israeli drones buzzing overhead and the sound of artillery strikes from the Lebanese side.
The Israeli military said in a statement that “several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire.” It said troops “opened fire toward them” and would “actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement.”
Israeli officials have said forces will be withdrawn gradually as it ensures that the agreement is being enforced. Israel has warned people not to return to areas where troops are deployed, and says it reserves the right to strike Hezbollah if it violates the terms of the truce.
A Lebanese military official said Lebanese troops would gradually deploy in the south as Israeli troops withdraw. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.
The ceasefire agreement announced late Tuesday ended 14 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that began a day after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, when the Lebanese Hezbollah group began firing rockets, drones and missiles in solidarity.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes, and the conflict steadily intensified for nearly a year before boiling over into all-out war in mid-September. The war in Gaza is still raging with no end in sight.
More than 3,760 people were killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon during the conflict, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel — over half of them civilians — as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon.
Some 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon, and thousands began streaming back to their homes on Wednesday despite warnings from the Lebanese military and the Israeli army to stay out of certain areas. Some 50,000 people were displaced on the Israeli side, but few have returned and the communities near the northern border are still largely deserted.
In Menara, an Israeli community on the border with views into Lebanon, around three quarters of homes are damaged, some with collapsed roofs and burnt-out interiors. A few residents could be seen gathering their belongings on Thursday before leaving again.
