Accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal of stooping to a new low, West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday praised Union Minister Kiren Rijiju for refuting the claim of TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar that ISRO’s women scientists were not being paid their salaries.
The TMC MP made the claim on the floor of the Parliament on Wednesday.
Adhikari said the allegations were false and without basis.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the TMC MP, while participating in the discussion on the women’s reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, alleged that women scientists at ISRO were not getting their salaries on time.
Women scientists were majorly involved in the Chadrayaan-3 project, making India the first country to place a lander on the moon’s unexplored south face.
Terming the claim as “misleading”, Union Minister Rijiju said, “Kakoli Dastidar levelled a very serious allegation while addressing the House. However, what she claimed is totally misleading.”
The Union minister said, “The ISRO scientists themselves, including those who have retired but are regularly in touch and supporting the agency in its research, have said unequivocally that all regular employees are receiving their salaries on time. The pensioners, too, are drawing their promised paychecks every month. The women scientists, in particular, have made a special mention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has provided the best support to the agency.”
Weighing in on the controversy, the Bengal LoP said, “These are false and groundless allegations against ISRO scientists. This shows the depths to which the TMC has stooped. Hats off to Kiren Rijiju for giving a befitting reply (to the TMC MP).”
Meanwhile, speaking to ANI on the passage of the women’s reservation bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Adhikari said while the Congress has the upcoming elections in mind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focused on women’s empowerment.
“Congress has the upcoming elections in mind while PM Modi is focussed on women’s empowerment during the Amrit Kal,” he said.
In a further swipe at the Congress, Adhikari said it did not implement the women’s reservation Bill despite being in power for “so long”.
He noted how the Congress government had overturned the Supreme Court judgement in the Shah Bano case by bringing a law.
“Congress ruled the country for so long but never cared to implement a law guaranteeing women’s reservation. In the Shah Bano case, they had overturned a Supreme Court judgement by bringing a law but sat on the women’s quota law. So what the Congress is saying now is merely a statement keeping the upcoming elections in mind. What Modi-ji is doing for Devishakti and Narishakti is commendable,” Adhikari said.
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the women’s reservation Bill, which provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ is the first Bill passed by Lok Sabha after it shifted to the new Parliament building on Tuesday.
The Bill was passed by a majority of the total membership of the House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the House “present and voting”.