Hitting out at opposition parties for promoting “nepotism,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that instead of ‘family-raj’, political parties should promote women and youth in politics outside their family clan.

Without naming any political party, he was indicating towards Congress, which is yet to decide about its regular president after Rahul Gandhi stepped down following the party’s poor show in 2019 general elections.

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“I request all the political parties to encourage women and youth’s participation from public life instead of picking up from ‘family’,” Sawant said, while adding that they should promote talented and hardworking women and youth in politics.

Sawant was speaking at the sideline of national parliament conference– celebrating democracy by empowering youth, women and panchayats’ to mark the 60th year of Goa’s liberation from Portuguese rule.

The conference has been divided into women, youth and panchayat’s parliament from November 8 to 12.

Hoping that such an event will encourage and empower women and youths, Sawant said that he has written to all chief ministers and speakers to participate and also requested them to hold such a conference which will empower women and youth.

When asked about women and youth representation in BJP, Sawant pointed out that the highest representation of women is in Narendra Modi government. “The party is increasing women and youth participation at all levels. Eleven women parliamentarians have been made union ministers, which is the highest in any government, and in BJP-ruled states women leaders are given key responsibility. We are also giving them proper share in ticket distribution and encouraging women and youth leadership in the country,” he said.

The Chief Minister said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the slogan of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and on the theme of ‘Goa at 60’, the state government is working towards laying more emphasis on women empowerment. To make women self-reliant, all the schemes of the central government and chief minister employment scheme have been implemented.”

Similarly, he said, the government is providing employment to women by promoting the products made by various women self-help groups. “On the one hand we are working towards contributing to a self-reliant India and on the other we are working on a self-sufficient Goa. We plan to organise such events every two years,” he added.