NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday appointed BJP leader Lalitha Kumaramangalam as the chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW).
The announcement was made by Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi at a press conference on the completion of 100 days of her ministry here. Maneka said, “I am happy to announce that the new chairman of NCW is Lalitha Kumaramangalam. She comes from Tamil Nadu. She has a very illustrious lineage, she is Mohan Kumaramangalam’s daughter.” Lalitha Kumaramangalam was recently appointed the party’s national spokesperson by BJP president Amit Shah. The party had given her the additional responsibility with an eye on expanding its base in Tamil Nadu. With her elevation as NCW chairperson, she will have more visibility.
Despite her reservations over converting the NCW as a parking lot for women who are political appointees, Maneka defended the government’s decision to appoint Lalitha. “This has been decided by the government and PM. I know her, I’ve met her and she is very strong, very forceful in her advocacy of women’s needs,” Maneka said. When asked about her idea to appoint a judge as the chairperson of NCW, Maneka replied, “It is in a state of limbo.” To a query on Lalitha’s political affiliations, Maneka said, “She has stood for elections twice, but that’s about it.”
Meanwhile, commenting on her appointment as the chairperson of NCW, Lalitha Kumaramangalam said she was very happy to be given the responsibility to serve the cause of women.