Alleging that atrocities against women are continuing unabated during the tenure of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national general secretary N. Lokesh has promised to ‘uphold the dignity of women’ if his party is voted to power in the 2024 Assembly elections.
Interacting with a large gathering of women during his Yava Galam padayatra here on July 3 (Monday), Mr. Lokesh said, “At least two incidents of atrocities against women occur every hour during the Jagan Mohan Reddy regime in the State. More youth are getting addicted to narcotic substances and committing such crimes.”
Describing the DISHA act as ‘diluted’, the TDP leader said that it would be replaced with more stringent law along the lines of the Nirbhaya Act if his party was voted to power in 2024. ‘‘Unchecked ganja cultivation in the State will be dealt with an iron fist. Coffee cultivation will be promoted as an alternate livelihood option in the tribal pockets where ganja cultivation is rampant,” Mr. Lokesh said on the 146th day of his Yuva Galam Padayatra that has covered 1890 km so far.
“It is unfortunate that women are being treated with disrespect in the State,” he alleged while making a reference to the ‘insult heaped on his mother in the State Legislative Assembly in the presence of Chief Minister Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy’.
‘Mahashakti Tho Lokesh‘
“Such things will never happen to any woman if the TDP returns to power,” he promised to the women who took part in the ‘Mahashakti Tho Lokesh‘ programme.
Mr. Lokesh posed for pictures with 2,500 supporters in three hours as a part of the ‘Selfie with Lokesh’ programme.
Referring to the incident of Tourism Minister R.K.Roja offering to send bangles and saris for him, Mr. Lokesh asked, ‘‘Does she mean those who wear bangles and saris are inferior?”
He said the TDP, if voted to power, would come up with special economic assistance to women including ₹18,000 per year, a grant of ₹15,000 per child, three LPG cylinders per year free of cost, apart from making travel of women in the State-owned buses free.
When a woman doctor complained about the technical problems she faced after the name of the health university was changed, Mr. Lokesh said, “None including former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had ever set a bad precedence like Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy by changing the name of the health university. The name of NTR will be restored back to the health university.”
The TDP, if voted to power, would make Andhra Pradesh a sunrise State, attracting industrial investments in a big way, adding that only by ensuring the all-round development of the State, welfare schemes could be implemented on a sustainable basis.
The education system would be streamlined, with a focus on the employability of the youth. “The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission will be revamped. All vacancies in government departments will be filled periodically. The fee reimbursement scheme in vogue during the previous TDP regime will be restored, and so does the facility for the students to pursue studies overseas,” he said and exhorted the women to help bring the TDP back to power.
