BELGAUM: Members of the district unit of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) took out a procession on the main roads here on Wednesday opposing privatisation and demanding equality for women, including 50 per cent reservations in jobs.

The procession coincided with International Women's Day. It was led by NFIW State unit president Parimala Vijaykumar, Milon Rajput, Lata Paushe, Kala Sateri and Poornima Pawar.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Government opposing foreign direct investment in the retail trade. Allowing FDI in retail trade has already caused heavy damage in developing countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand and also in developed countries such as France, Canada and Germany, they said. In India, four crore people, who earn their livelihood through retail trade, will suffer losses and lose business, which will add to poverty and unemployment, they said. Demanding an economic policy that will prevent inflation, the activists demanded the restoration of the "universal rationing system" as the current system is fraught by many problems. More stringent measures should be taken to check dowry deaths and atrocities on women, they said.

The demand for reservation of 33 per cent seats for women in Parliament and State Assemblies should be met immediately, they said.

Drawing attention to some problems in the self-assessment scheme for payment of property tax, the NFIW said the policy should be revamped.

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