UPA will ensure security of women, says Antony

Election manifesto of Cong has offered to launch various measures to ensure the protection of women, says Antony

Congress-led UPA government would ensure security of women, especially those from tribal community, if the alliance won in the Lok Sabha elections, Defence minister A K Antony said today.

Speaking at a meet-the-leader programme at Wayanad Press Club here, he said instances of atrocities against women had increased considerably in the country.

"Indian women were not secure in their working places too," he said adding that such a situation should be changed.

The election manifesto of Congress has offered to launch various measures to ensure the protection of women, he said.

As part of increasing the security measures, 25 per cent of job vacancies in police force would be reserved for women and fast track courts would be established to speed up court proceedings related to atrocities against women, he said.

Maintaining that the election atmosphere in the state was positive for the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF), he said, "Many of the seats won by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the 2009 election would be captured by the Congress-led UDF".

He said the recent Kerala High Court remarks against the Chief minister will not affect the prospects of the UDF in the Parliament election.

The farmers in the hilly areas of Wayanad and Idukki districts were in a dilemma over the Kasturirangan panel report conservation of Western Ghats, but the "timely" intervention of the state government put an end to their worries, Antony said.