Press Briefing
Saturday, 25 Apr 2009
Smt. Renuka
Choudhary addressed the media today.
Smt. Renuka Choudhary said that the BJP is very
good in hijacking programmes initiated by the
UPA government. Their proposed “Ladli” scheme
which the BJP is publicizing today is a only a
rip-off from the ‘Dhan Lakshmi’ scheme, which
offers a conditional cash transfer, introduced
by the Congress-led UPA Government and applied
throughout the country. She further said that
the foundation for providing a better future to
the girl child has been laid by the Congress led
UPA Government, which specially constituted a
separate Ministry for the Women and Child
Welfare Development. In addition to this a
number of other schemes and enactments have been
made during the last three years to raise
awareness on issues relating to the girl child.
On the contrary the BJP party never raised such
issues either in or outside the Parliament.
Smt. Renuka Choudhary said that the BJP-ruled
states get grants from the Centre for running
such schemes but change its name to showcase
them as their own.
Smt. Renuka Choudhary further said that it
seemed that the BJP has changed their mind about
the Prime Ministerial candidate and has now
introduced Mr. Modi to replace Mr. Advani, which
is indicative of the BJP’s insecurity in this
regard.
On the question of Shri Arun Jatiley echoing
Shri Arun Shourie’s support for Mr. Modi as the
Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP, Smt.
Renuka Choudhary said that this was their
internal matter and the Congress Party was not
concerned with this.
Responding to the BJP terming the UPA’s rule of
5 years as a “misrule” as far as economy is
concerned and the Prime
Minister’s promise to put the economy back on
track within 100 days of forming the new
government, as an attempt to hoodwink the
citizens; Smt. Renuka Choudhary said that the
BJP were never part of the growth story of India
and they have always been detrimental to growth.
She added that India has seen GDP growth rates
of 9% and high disposable incomes despite the
global recession, which the BJP could never
manage to achieve.
On a question alleging that the death of
schoolgirl Akriti Bhatia was receiving more
focus than Shanno’s case, merely because Shanno
hailed from a poor family, Smt. Renuka Choudhary
said that as far as her Ministry is concerned,
there is no discrimination between children on
the grounds of class and economic status. She
added that the death of any child causes anxiety
and insecurity, whether the child goes to a
private school or Government school. Smt. Renuka
Choudhary reiterated that she has always raised
her voice whether it was Nithari or Aarushi’s
case or the recent Aakriti Bhatia or Shanno
case. Despite being in the middle of her
election campaign, Smt. Renuka Choudhary said
that she did not hesitate to put this aside and
voice her opinion on the Shanno case, which
clearly reflects the seriousness with which she
views these issues.
Smt. Renuka Choudhary said that it was for the
first time in the history of independent India
that a National Commission of Protection of
Child Right giving a platform for the protection
of child rights, which highlight the commitment
of the UPA government in this regard.
(Tom Vadakkan)
Secretary, AICC
