Madhya Pradesh: Kailash Vijayvargiya slams opposition over 'item' remark

A day after Madhya Pradesh state cabinet approved reservation for women in all state government jobs, state minister Kailash Vijayvargiya praised the move and hit out at the opposition, saying that for them women are an "item."

"We always work for the empowerment of women. Since 2014, we have increased reservation for women. For us, women are respectable but for the Opposition, sometimes they say that they are "imported maal, this is their point of view towards women" he told ANI.

On November 1, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant in Maharashtra allegedly referred to Shaina as "imported maal," during a campaign rally, saying, "Look at her situation. She was in the BJP her entire career, and now she's joined another party. Imported 'maal' doesn't work here; only original 'maal' does."

Sawant later apologised for his remark, saying that he was "deliberately targeted."

"For us, women are a devi (goddess), but they say they are an "item". So the words they have, you can see how they think about women in their hearts," he added.

Earlier on November 5, A cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav at Mantralaya in the state capital Bhopal approved 35 percent reservation for women in all the recruitments of the Madhya Pradesh government services.

After the cabinet meeting, Deputy CM of Madhya Pradesh, Rajendra Shukla told ANI, "Reservation (for women) in all recruitment under Government services in Madhya Pradesh has been increased to 35 per cent from 33 per cent. The decision was taken earlier and today it was approved by the state cabinet. It is a major step towards women empowerment in the state."

Further briefing about the cabinet decisions, Shukla told reporters that the cabinet approved to open 254 new fertiliser sales centres in the state. With this, farmers would get relief from long queues and get fertiliser easily with cash payment.