Kamat: Women should focus on economic status, not politics TNN, May 23, 2010, 02.52am IST
PANAJI: Chief minister Digambar Kamat reportedly caused a mild flutter at a women's convention in Panaji on Saturday, where he advised women "not to run after politics". Some prominent women, however, dismissed it as just a "very casual remark" which only indicates his unhappiness with the current state of politics. Kamat was speaking about women's empowerment and how the government was supporting the economic uplift of women at a women's convention of self-help groups. But suddenly veering from his subject, he reportedly said women should not run after politics and hanker after the 33% reservation. When contacted by TOI, the CM denied making the remarks in that context and said what he meant was that women should raise their economic standards and become independent. Former North Goa Zilla Panchayat chief Amol Morajkar also said the CM had made the comment very lightly and not in a serious manner. "It probably indicates his unhappiness with the current state of politics," Morajkar said. Mapusa Congress block president and former chairperson of the Goa State Commission for Women Pramod Salgaocar, who was present at the function, told TOI, "We were quite taken aback by his remarks. But then we realized that he said it very casually. It was very off the cuff. What he actually said was women should concentrate on their work and not run after the 33% reservation. Or else, why would he have also said that women who work command more respect from everyone?" she said. Salgaocar said Kamat may have been prompted to make the comments in reaction to the earlier comments of actor Varsha Usgaokar, who mentioned the 33% reservation for women in her speech. Salgaocar said Kamat suddenly stopped after his comments and did not pursue the subject further. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Kamat-Women-should-focus-on-economic-status-not-politics/articleshow/5963933.cms * * * Goa CM's sexist remarks anger women activists IANS Panaji: Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat's statement urging women not to join politics and not fall for the "33 percent reservation" bait has invited criticism from the women's rights lobby in the state. Sabina Martins, former member of the Goa State Commission for Women and convenor of the renowned civic NGO Goa Bachao Abhiyaan, said Kamat's comments at a public function Saturday smacked of sexism and callousness. "The chief minister's comment only shows the mindset of the political class in Goa, where in an assembly of 40 legislators, there is only one woman legislator," said Martins, a spokesperson of woman's group Bailancho Saad. "Kamat's own party is trying so hard to push the women's quota bill and here he is trying to dissuade women from joining politics. In a way, the chief minister is working against the principles of his own party," Martins said. Kamat, at a public function on Saturday, had said: "If women start pursuing politics, it will have a negative impact on society." Kamat had also made remarks at the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's landmark women's quota bill that seeks to reserve 33 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies for women. "Don't fall for 33 percent reservation (in politics). Politics makes you go crazy. Women play an important role in transforming the society. We should look after our next generation," Kamat had said, commenting on the legislation, which, according to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was the dream of former primeminister Rajiv Gandhi. Kamat, who has recently faced flak from the Congress high command for calling Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi his best friend, has also attracted the ire of women environment activists in the state. The five women activists who had gone to meet Kamat on a scheduled grievance day - when members of the public have open access to the chief minister - to discuss unplanned real estate development in the state were dismissed by Kamat, who said he "does not need their votes". http://ibnlive.in.com/news/goa-cms-sexist-remarks-anger-women-activists/116002-37-64.html?from=tn
