Close X
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
ADVT 
India

Female actors demand to drop Goa minister from Cabinet for 'insulting' women

Darpan News Desk IANS, 29 Nov, 2023 04:31 PM
  • Female actors demand to drop Goa minister from Cabinet for 'insulting' women

Panaji, Nov 29 (IANS) Alleging that Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude has insulted women from the fields of art, culture and literature over the issue of conferring state awards, noted female actors in Goa have demanded to drop him from the Cabinet.

Gaude invited the wrath of the people after the announcement of the names of the 12 recipients of the prestigious Goa State Cultural Awards, with all them being male.

Filmmaker-actor Jyoti Kunkolienkar along with acclaimed actor Suchita Narvekar and activist Auda Viegas on Wednesday addressed a press conference demanding to drop Gaude from the Cabinet for 'insulting' women.

"Initially, we reacted by expressing what we felt over this issue. Subsequently, the minister (countering us) reacted to our statement and said that there were no ‘capable’ women who would deserve the award. He also questioned whether there is any rule that awards should be given to women,” Kunkolienkar said, questioning whether there is any rule that awards should be given only to men.

She also rubbished the alleged statement of the minister that thousands of applications were received for the awards.

“A maximum of 120 applications can be received. Not more than that,” she said.

“I request Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to come clear over the issue and declare the names of those who had applied for the awards,” she added.

According to Narvekar, Gaude also said that it is not a panchayat election with 33 per cent reservation for women when it comes to deciding on awards.

“We are not asking for 33 per cent reservation for women for state awards. We are speaking on this issue because women too deserve these awards,” Narvekar said.

Narvekar also questioned if there was not a single woman in ‘those thousands of applications’ who could have deserved an award.

“I request Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to drop such a minister who doesn’t know how to respect women. One should not forget that in the past, agitation by women had forced one minister to step down,” Narvekar said, adding that Gaude should not blame them if he is dropped from the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, Gaude had clarified that a selection committee was appointed to confer the awards and the decisions were taken by the panel.

“Awards are given on the basis of merits,” he said.

MORE India ARTICLES

Power cuts threaten paddy, vegetable crops in Punjab: Sukhbir Badal

Power cuts threaten paddy, vegetable crops in Punjab: Sukhbir Badal
Stating that this was the Chief Minister who had promised uninterrupted power supply to farmers, Badal said, “Farmers in Muktsar, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts are reporting 18 to 20 hours of power cuts which is resulting in the withering of their paddy and vegetable crops, besides severely affecting their horticulture trees”.

Power cuts threaten paddy, vegetable crops in Punjab: Sukhbir Badal

G20 summit: Macron to arrive on Sep 9 on 2-day visit

G20 summit: Macron to arrive on Sep 9 on 2-day visit
French President Emmanuel Macron will arrive in New Delhi on September 9 for a two-day visit to attend the G20 summit, according to official sources. The G20 summit under India's presidency is scheduled to take place between September 9-10.

G20 summit: Macron to arrive on Sep 9 on 2-day visit

Hardeep Puri slams A. Raja for Sanatan Dharma remarks

Hardeep Puri slams A. Raja for Sanatan Dharma remarks
Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday slammed DMK leader A. Raja for his alleged derogatory remarks against Sanatan Dharma, calling them "utterly disgusting". Last Saturday, Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin had triggered a controversy by saying: "Sanatan Dharma has to be eradicated just like malaria, dengue and Corona."

Hardeep Puri slams A. Raja for Sanatan Dharma remarks

Punjab to host tourism summit from Sep 11 to 13

Punjab to host tourism summit from Sep 11 to 13
The First Punjab Tourism Summit and Travel Mart 2023 from September 11 to 13 in Mohali will open a new avenue for tourism prospectus, Tourism and Culture Affairs Minister Anmol Gagan Maan said here on Wednesday.

Punjab to host tourism summit from Sep 11 to 13

Sentiments of cadre against AAP in Punjab, says Congress

Sentiments of cadre against AAP in Punjab, says Congress
The Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday categorically said the sentiments of Congress cadre are in favour of contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha election in 2024 alone, without an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party. Congress leader Bajwa said the high command had given the freedom to the state unit to assess the mood of the people of Punjab, cadre and workers.

Sentiments of cadre against AAP in Punjab, says Congress

Delhi: CISF arrests man at IGI with pistol

Delhi: CISF arrests man at IGI with pistol
A man was apprehended at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport with a pistol by CISF official on Wednesday. The CISF official said that the suspect was detained based on profiling near departure gate No. 5 of Terminal-3 at IGI Airport.

Delhi: CISF arrests man at IGI with pistol