Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday announced that the state police force shall have 30 per cent women personnel mandatorily.
Noting that women are carrying out duties well in the Madhya Pradesh Police, Chouhan said that neither the country nor the state can have any progress if women don't have any progress.
Chouhan made the promise at an event in Bhopal where he inducted 250 new two-wheelers for women-specific police stations.
In a tweeted, the Chief Minister's Office quoted Chohan as saying, "Neither the country nor the state can have any progress if women don't have any progress. This is why I have decided that there should be 30 per cent mandatory women's recruitment in the police department. Today, daughters are proving themselves in the police department by carrying out their duties with full devotion."
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In addition to the women's recruitment, Chouhan also flagged 250 new two-wheelers for help desks at women police stations in the state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Madhya Pradesh has assembly elections scheduled for later this year. In the last elections in 2018, Congress had formed the government under Kamal Nath, but Jyotiraditya Scindia's rebellion along with loyalist MLAs had toppled the government. Once Scindia joined the BJP along with his supporters, the BJP formed the government under Chouhan in 2020. Except for the 15-month pause during 2018-20, Chouhan has been the CM of Madhya Pradesh since 2004.
Over the years, Chouhan has cultivated a brand of 'bhai-mama' among women voters of the state and, in light of the upcoming assembly elections, is banking on social welfare measures targeting women to beat the anti-incumbency.
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"On his part, banking on his pet welfare schemes for women, Chouhan still seems to be basking in his 'bhai-mamaji' image among women voters despite facing fierce criticism from the Opposition over rising cases of atrocities against women...In a state like MP, which has 26 million women voters, Chouhan’s success has always been linked to this support base. Many women voters in Bhopal and Sehore say that the decision on their vote was entirely theirs," reported The Indian Express.
