Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta today said the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is the only party that cares for women in politics. She said, "Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister, but there was no other woman as minister in her Cabinet. She never allowed any woman leader to emerge in the Congress party. Women who emerged in her party only belonged to her khaandaan (dynasty)."
(Indira Gandhi PM thi, par unke mantralaya mein ek bhi mahila aur nahin thi. Unhone unke rehte hue Congress mein kisi aur mahila ko badhne nahin diya, aap yaad karke dekh lijiye. Aaj koi aur mahila badhi hai, toh unke khaandaan ki badhi hai.)
The Delhi Chief Minister said, "It was our party that got the 33 per cent women reservation bill passed in Parliament because of our Prime Minister. Which other party had the courage and willpower to bring such a law? Today women hold posts from President to Chief Minister to Finance Minister. No other party except ours has allowed women to come forward to take up such responsible positions. It is our party that encouraged women-centric programmes like Ujjwala and Swachhata and women-centric governance, and I am one 'saakshat' (clear) example of this. I was made the chief minister of the national capital, and I was given the opportunity and full freedom to work."
Rekha Gupta criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for what she called "blatant disregard for protocol and dignity" of the post of President when she visited the state last week.
The Delhi CM said, "It is essential to maintain Constitutional decorum. This is such a field where the dignity of the Constitutional post is essential to ensure protocol is followed. There is no question of party politics here. The President is the first citizen, and she deserves respect. When Rashtrapati Ji visited her state, it was Mamata Banerjee's responsibility to ensure that the protocol was followed. It should never become a matter of politics. She had gone there to attend a social function, and the CM should have ensured proper arrangements. I think there were lapses somewhere, and it is her mistake."
(Aapko samvaidhanik garima banaakar rakhna bahut zaroori hai. Yeh field aisi hai, jahan protocol aur samvidhan ki post, uski garima zaruri hai. Usme party politics kahin nahin aati. Rashtrapati desh ki pratham nagarik hai aur uski adhikari hai. Main samajhti hoon, jab Rashtrapati Ji gayi unke rajya mein, toh Mamta Banerjee ka daayitwa banta tha ki us protocol ko usi nazariye se dekhen. Kabhi yeh raajniti ka vishay nahin hona chahiye. Who samajik karyakram mein gayi thi, toh zaroor aapko vyavasthayen deni thi; isme kahin na kahin unse chook huyi hai aur yh unki galti bhi hai.)
Earlier, Rekha Gupta, in her 'X' social media post, had written, "Preventing lakhs of Santal brothers and sisters from participating in a celebration of their own culture, while the Hon'ble President herself was present, is nothing short of an insult to tribal pride and India's democratic values. The Mamata government must answer for this disgraceful episode. The dignity of our constitutional institutions cannot be sacrificed at the altar of petty politics."
Asked whom she considered her favourite female politician, Rekha Gupta replied, "Sushma Swaraj Ji. She had an attractive personality; I had the opportunity to work with her. She was always dignified, and at the same time, she was gentle and brilliant. She looked after one of the most difficult ministries, external affairs. She remains the icon for women in the field of politics.
(Favourite female politician, Sushama Swaraj Ji. Bahut hi pyara vyaktitwa; unke saath bahut kaam karne ka mauka milaa. Who Soumya thi, utni hi pratibhashali thi. Desh ki foreign affairs jaisi difficult ministry sambhali, rajnitik field ki mahilaon ke liye who hamesha se icon rahin.)
Asked why she has added "Beti Badhao, Ladke Ko Samjhao" to the slogan "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao", Rekha Gupta replied, "Yes, sure. When incidents occur and we feel a sense of guilt, then we should also feel; after all, the boy was somebody's son. When a daughter becomes a victim, somebody's son did an immoral act with her. Every family must ensure to tell sons the do's and don'ts, as we tell daughters. When every family gets the proper 'sanskaar' (values), then such acts, which shame all of us, will cease to happen in our society. It should be the duty of all parents to tell their sons and daughters what to do and what not to do."
(Beti bachao, beti padhao, beti badhao, ladke ko samjhao. Yes, sure. Jis tarike se samaj me haadse hote hain, aisi asi durghatanayen aur paap sunke itni glaani mehsoos hoti hai, woh bhi toh kisi ka beta hai. Ek beti jo victim bani, kisi ke bete ne toh uske saath galat kaam kiya. Main kehti hoon, woh beta hamare ghar se naa ho, isliye har parivaar ko apne bete ko do's and don'ts bataane padenge. Jab hum apni beti ko do's and don’ts batate hain, toh bete ko bhi zaroor batana chahiye ki usey kya kya nahin karna hai aur kya kya karna hai. Jab har parivar mein woh sanskar honge, tab samaj mein woh sab hona band hoga jab kahin durghatana hoti hai aur poor samaj use sharminda hota hai. Isliye beton aur betiyon ko kya karna hai, donon ko samjhane ki responsibility maa-baap par hai.)
The full interview of Delhi CM Rekha Gupta with India TV at the 'She' Conclave can be accessed on this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T5QdmgnP6g
