Cong Chintan Shivir: Sub-group to discuss women-related issues

This will be the sixth sub-group formed for the party's two-day brain storming session during which Congress is expected to come out with a strategy for next general elections.

Members of this special sub-group set up a few days ago include Union Ministers Jayanthi Natarajan and Kumari Selja and senior party leaders Ambika Soni, Mohsina Kidwai and Girija Vyas, party sources said.

The women MPs have been asked to assemble at the national capital on January 17. The sub-group will prepare an agenda paper which will look into the wider issues on women's safety and is likely to carry wide-range of suggestions to check crime against women and suggest remedial measures.

The party had earlier constituted a high-level group headed by Congress veteran Motilal Vora to oversee the organisation of the Chintan Shivir to be held in Jaipur on January 18 and 19 with Soni as its convenor.

Later, the party had also formed five sub-groups who were tasked to prepare the draft on issues like political, economic, foreign affairs and organisational.

The sub-group on women issues has been set up at a time when there is a growing clamour for enhanced punishment to rape convicts. The Women and Child Development Ministry headed by Krishna Tirath has already given suggestions taken from various stakeholders on the issue to J S Verma committee.

The three-member committee was set up on December 23 with a mandate to review the present statute so as to provide for speedier justice and enhanced punishment in cases of aggravated sexual assault. The committee has to submit its report in 30 days.