The Hindu : National : “I wanted to convey Dalit women’s plight”

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“I wanted to convey Dalit women’s plight”

Moradabad: UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Saturday walked free from jail here after securing interim bail in the case of derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Mayawati. She regretted her controversial statement, but said Ms. Mayawati had no right to continue in office.

“I regret that one word I used against the Chief Minister ... I crossed the limits but the context in which it was said should be understood. My purpose was to convey the plight of dalit women [who were raped] and the woman Chief Minister should have understood this ,” Ms. Joshi told journalists on coming out of jail.

She attacked Ms. Mayawati for filing a case against her and claimed that the assault on her residence was state-sponsored.

Digvijay’s charge

In New Delhi, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said the attack took place at the behest of Ms. Mayawati. He did not expect that justice would be done in the case and demanded a CBI inquiry .

Ms. Joshi said her struggle on women’s issues would continue and she was prepared to go to jail a hundred times if it helped .

The PCC chief said she agreed with what Congress president Sonia Gandhi said about her remarks, but added that her entire statement should be read because it referred to the problems faced by the oppressed women.

It was unfortunate that the State government applied certain provisions of the law which should not have been used. “See, I have got bail within two days.”

Ms. Joshi said it was sad that the administration behaved this way with a family that had worked for decades for the sake of minorities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

She said she had no personal fight with Ms. Mayawati, but her struggle on issues facing women, especially those belonging to SCs and STs, would continue. — PTI

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