In an open letter barely 12 hours before polling booths could open, chief minister Siddaramaiah appealed to women of the state to support Congress and reject “anti-women party” BJP in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday.
In his letter on Monday, Siddaramaiah said BJP has opposed the Gruha Lakshmi and Shakti schemes ever since they were rolled out. He said while some BJP members said these schemes “will drive the state to bankruptcy”, others said “women were losing their way because of the guarantees”.
“BJP and its parent organisation RSS have always been anti-women and this is an example of it,” he said. “From Gujarat to Manipur, you can see many examples that demonstrate the anti-women stand of BJP. Even in Karnataka, they have joined hands with those who harassed women. Their opposition to these schemes stemmed from their inner belief that women should not be empowered.”
He said these elections are not about victory or defeat for any political party but one that will decide “the fate of a pro-women govt”.
“In this election, you [women] have to choose between BJP, which firmly believes in Manu Shastra that says women are not worthy of freedom, and Congress that believes in the Constitution which provides equal rights and opportunities to women,” Siddaramaiah said.