SANIKERE (CHITRADURGA DT): Tuesday was Rahul Gandhi’s day with women -- common workaday sorts like teachers, labourers and waste pickers -- and interactions with them left the Congress leader impressed. Listening to their daily struggles and domestic issues, he exhorted them to be “lionesses of their homes”.
Lakshmi Devi, a guest teacher in a government school in Kudligi who was born without hands, stunned Rahul with her determination to carve a life for herself. She adapted herself to write with her feet and excelled in studies, and then pursued her DEd. Rahul admitted that he could never have achieved what she had, if he was similarly challenged.
Listening to their viewpoints and wisdom was truly inspiring, he said, and added that he would do his best to address their issues. Rahul interacted with women labourers of MGNREGA, Anganwadi workers, Asha volunteers, waste-pickers and beedi rollers. Kotramma, a MGNREGA worker from Hagari Bommanahalli, explained that work was limited to 100 days per family, and wages fixed at Rs 309 a day. She demanded that the workday cap be raised to 200 days per person, and daily wages to Rs 600, to counter rising prices.
Bhagyamma, an Asha worker in Hulikunta village, said she served as a bridge between the community and healthcare sector. Her earnings were based on an incentive system with no stability, and she not paid on time, she said.
Leela, an Anganwadi worker, said salaries had not been increased in a long time and they had no job security. Jabeena Khanam, a beedi roller from Davanagere, complained that her wages are lower than that fixed by the government. She wanted better living conditions and healthcare and demanded that a Development Board be set up for them.
There was also a long discussion on domestic violence. Almost 80 per cent of the women confessed they were subjected to domestic violence by their drunk husbands. They said they were running their own homes and sending children to school, while their husbands spent their earnings on gambling or alcohol. The women wanted liquor to be banned.
To this, Rahul proclaimed that they should become lionesses. He stated that women should come together to stop domestic abuse and that banning liquor comes with its own set of problems.