Exactly on this day, 21 years ago, former Prime Minister of India P.V. Narasimha Rao delivered a speech on women empowerment in the city.
He was here on August 7, 1999, on an invitation from the Centre for Policy Studies to release a book on ‘Emancipation Before Empowerment: A study of Women’s Problems in Visakhapatnam’, which was authored by Professors M. Vijaya Laxmi, B. Meena Rao and P.V.L. Ramana.
After releasing the book, he delivered a stirring speech. Women had always played a major role in public life and participated actively in the freedom struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. After independence, however, property rights became an issue on which women were not encouraged and allowed to make decisions, he said. Women empowerment gained momentum and a milestone in the history of women’s emancipation had been reached with the 33% reservation for women in employment and in public positions, he said.
According to Prof. A. Prasanna Kumar, the director of CPS, the former Prime Minister suggested that every town, city and village must provide a forum for active public participation, especially by women, and then only development would be possible in all areas.
This year is being celebrated as the birth centenary year of the former PM, and many who attended that meeting say PV held the audience captive with his oratory skills.
