Andhra Pradesh Hosts Women's Parliament

The three-day National Women's Parliament session commenced today at Ibrahimpatnam on the banks of the Krishna river near Vijayawada.

Addressing the delegates, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting M Venkaiah Naidu said that the role of a women in the society was of utmost importance for strengthening the economy of the nation.

Indian history showed the women had played a major role to play in achieving India's freedom, he added. Naidu described Indian women as unsung heroes and said that theirs was a largely untapped human resource.

Quoting Swami Vivekananda's preaching that the world couldn't develop without active participation of women, he claimed that it was ex-Chief Minister N T Rama Rao who first raised his voice for the upliftment of women and paved the way for their entry into politics.

Speaking on the occasion, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that he would strive for the all-round development of women. The Party would continue to fight for reservations for women, and the TDP already demanded 33% quota for them, he claimed.

AP Assembly Speaker K Siva Prasada Rao said that women had more leadership qualities than men and that they should utilize the skill and grab more opportunities.

Tibetan spiritual leader and Buddhist monk Dalai Lama, 12,000 female representatives, and experts in various fields were also present in the women's Parliament.