Women empowerment in India

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New Delhi, Mar 6 (UNI) It was a dream come true for Veena Devi, a woman sarpanchayat from a remote village in Bihar, when she not only shared the dais with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi but also hoisted the flag with her to celebrate women empowerment.

Veena, a poor woman who was widowed at the young age of 16, struggled hard to realise her dream. Now she is proud to be elected continuously since panchayat elections were held first time in Bihar in 2001 and winning from the general seat and not from those reserved for women.

''Initially when I contested elections people used to taunt me saying I was trying to become Indira Gandhi. Though I am not educated, I used to immediately retort that yes I will become like Indira Gandhi,'' she told a function held here at which women activists and workers participated in large numbers.

Veena, a resident of Lahoripura village of Nawada district, recounted how she always used to rush to see Ms Gandhi on television.

''And now thanks to the Hunger Project and Panchayati Raj Ministry, I am sharing the dais with her. This is what I call women's empowerment when an illiterate, poor woman like me sharing dias with her (Sonia Gandhi).'' Celebrating the success of women like Veena, famous singer Usha Uthup sang songs like ''Bindiya Chamkegi, Choori Chhamkegi... India chamkega.. Nari chamkegi.'' True to the theme of 'Survival to Success celebrate her life, women danced to the tunes of popular songs like ''Jeete hain Shan se...Doston se pyar kiya... purusho se bahut pyar kiya ...jo bhi kiya nari ne kiya shan se.

Even Ms Gandhi liked the songs and the celebratory mood of the women present so much that she cancelled her other appointments and stayed back in the function. Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury and Minister for Panchayati Raj Mani Shanker Aiyar applauded the achiements of Veena and other women who symbolised the empowerment of the fair sex.