THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the government facing allegations of diverting funds for the women’s wall, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has stated that not a single penny would be utilised from the state exchequer for the event on January 1.
There was a deliberate attempt to create confusion in the minds of the people about the wall, he said and denied the reports that the LDF government was planning to spend Rs 50 crore from the funds set apart for women welfare programmes.
The government had said in an affidavit submitted in the High Court on Thursday that the funding for the women’s wall to recall the renaissance values will be provided from the Rs 50-crore allocated for the safety of women in the Budget. The fund will lapse if it was not spent, the government said.
However, it clarified on Friday that in the affidavit filed by the social justice department on its behalf, there was no mention of Rs 50 crore or that government funds would be used for the purpose. The women’s wall was being organised in line with the government’s announcement made in the budget and LDF election manifesto that priority would be given to women empowerment, gender equality and women’s safety.
A sum of Rs 50 crore has been set apart for schemes to check the attacks against women, the affidavit said. The Women’s Wall was one of the programmes announced in the budget.
It is being organised through the women and child development department. Mr Vijayan said the reports that government was spending '50 crore on the wall were baseless and being circulated with ulterior motives.
The decision to organise the programme was taken at the meeting of social organisations held here on December 1. Women empowerment, gender justice, men-women equality are the values being upheld by the social organisations.
Mr Vijayan said the government backed the proposal as it was in line with the programmes already announced on various occasions. The cost involved in conducting it will be borne by the organisations concerned.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said it was an “official programme” of the government. However, no money would be spent from the state exchequer for it, he added.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala accused the government of cheating the people in the name of the wall. The chief minister’s statement was nothing but a cover-up after being caught red-handed, he said.
