TYA condemns removal of Nemcha Kipgen, says no improvement for women under BJP
Source: The Sangai Express
Kangpokpi, September 28 2020:
Condemnation continued to pour in over the removal of the lone woman Minister from the Council of Ministers in the recent cabinet reshuffle as the Thadou Youth Association, Jt Headquarters Sadar Hills strongly condemned the removal of Social Welfare and Cooperation Minister Nemcha Kipgen from the cabinet.
It said that it understands well the appeasement policy of the BJP-led coalition Government resulting into the cabinet reshuffle to sustain the government with its alliance.
However, the association is disappointed over the removal of the lone woman and the only Minister from Kangpokpi district from the Ministerial berth which not only contradicts women empowerment and women's reservation bill but is also a proof of political inequity between the hills and the valley.
It questioned the Biren-led BJP coalition Government as why the lone woman Minister from Kangpokpi district was removed when 4 MLAs from Imphal East district and three MLAs from Imphal West have been given a post in the Ministerial berth.
It also alleged that the valley-centric policy of the present Government will always be a threat to hill development while adding that the removal of Nemcha Kipgen is the reflection of discrimination against women representation in policy, decision making and governance rather than empowering women.
Discrimination against women will always increase issues of gender-based violence, rape, sexual assault and domestic violence, etc and the negligence towards hill development will foster the growing tension between the hill and valley in Manipur, it added.
The association also raised its concern over the "Go to Hill" mission launched by Chief Minister N Biren Singh stating that the mission is meaningless if none of the hill districts representatives are included in the Council of Ministers.