Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Former Uttarakhand governor and Bharatiya Janata Party's National Vice President Baby Rani Maurya caused quite a stir as she advised women against going to the police stations after 5 pm. War of words started between opposition and ruling BJP after the statement of Maurya. She later clarified that the opposition parties are twisting her statements.
Maurya was attending Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti at Sant Ravidas Mandal in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Varanasi constituency. Addressing the event, she said, "even though women police officers are present in the police station, women should not go to the police station after dusk or 5 p.m. If it is necessary, go there with father, brother or husband only or go next morning."
The statement turned out to be fodder for the opposition parties to slam the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh. State spokesperson for Congress party Anshu Awasthi said that Baby Rani Maurya reflects the mindset of BJP and RSS on women. "Why shouldn't women go to police stations after 5 p.m.? It just shows what kind of jungle raj is prevailing under the Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh. Women can't even go to the police stations after 5 o'clock," he charged.
Awasthi said Priyanka Gandhi is working to boost the morale of women in Uttar Pradesh by setting aside 40 percent of tickets in the upcoming elections. The BJP, meanwhile, is trying to present women as weak. The women power in UP is not weak. Baby Rani Maurya is engrossed in her BJP perspection of women. But the woman of Uttar Pradesh still holds the power of Rani Laxmibai, has the power of Kalpana Chawla, has the power of Indira Gandhi. Priyanka Gandhi is at the forefront as the voice of them all, he stated.
Aam Admi Party's Uttar Pradesh in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh attaching news related to this topic, said in a tweet, "Beti Bachao" (save the girl child)." Samajwadi Party leaders also slammed the statement.
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Trying to salvage the situation, Bharatiya Janata Party's state spokesperson Sanjay Chaudhary said that the party does not discriminate among citizens. Anyone can go to the police station at any time, whether it is a man or a woman.
Replying to the opposition outroar, Maurya on Saturday told reporters, "I was in a Dalit settlement in Banaras recently on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti. There were Dalit sisters as well as Muslim sisters in that program. I was giving them information about Chief Minister Yogi Ji's and PM Modi Ji's government schemes."
"I also told that there is also a system of fast track Courts where women get quick justice. Yogi government and PM Modi led government are working continuously for women's safety and self-reliance. The Opposition simply twisted my statement," she added.
It is worth mentioning, Upendra Tiwari, Minister of Independent Charge, Sports, Youth Welfare and Panchayati Raj in the Yogi government, made an absurd statement while interacting with the media during the 75th Amrit Mahotsav of Independence recently. He had said that 95 percent of the population does not even use diesel and petrol.
These developments come just months before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in 2022.
(With input from agencies)
