Bhopal, July 3 (IANS) A medical student asked Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, during a mock-Parliament programme in Bhopal on Thursday, why the subject of sexual harassment is not part of the discussion in the government’s programmes.

The woman, Chhaya Balgariya, a medical student, who was posing as the Leader of the Opposition, asked this question when Chief Minister Yadav was on the dais and was having a discussion with the participants on ‘Emergency’.

As the programme, which is part of the BJP’s campaign on 50 years of the Emergency, allows open discussion for the participants, Chhaya Balgariya used this opportunity to raise this serious issue directly to the Chief Minister.

Balgariya further went on to ask that the government talk about the developed India ‘Emergency’ and severe issues, but remain silent about the sexual harassment of women.

She alleged that this serious issue is often suppressed, and the victims rarely get justice.

Balgariya’s question left all participants in the programme with surprise, including Chief Minister Yadav, who responded to her, highlighting the steps taken to punish accused involved in sexual harassment of women in the state.

Several mock-Parliament programmes have been organised since June 25. And today was the first time when a participant dared to ask a question on a serious issue.

The Chief Minister said that Madhya Pradesh was the first in the country to make a provision for the death penalty in the case of sexual harassment of minor girls. He also informed about the district (Narsinghpur) where the collector and SP are women.

Later, the programme was also addressed by newly elected state BJP chief Hemant Khandelwal, who highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s steps for strengthening women’s representation and making them financially self-reliant in the past 11 years.

“Indira Gandhi crushed Indian democracy in her hunger for power and for her supremacy. And the slogan raised by the Congress leaders for comparing Indira with India was more disrespectful to our democracy,” said Khandelwal, who was addressing the first public meeting after taking over charge as state BJP chief.

–IANS

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