BJP Showcases Ahilyabai Holkar As Model Of Women Empowerment
Ahilyabai is said to be the first ruler who coined the concept of self-reliance of women by promoting the Maheshwari sari, the famous handloom product of Maheshwar, the capital of her kingdom, in Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh.
Bhopal: BJP has made the 18th century queen of the erstwhile ruling Holkar dynasty Devi Ahilyabai as its template for women empowerment, Hindutva and social reform by launching a nine-month campaign in the party-ruled states including Madhya Pradesh in September last year to showcase her works.
The campaign will culminate into a mega event, Women Empowerment Grand Conference, here on May 31 coinciding with the 300th birth anniversary of the Holkar queen, to highlight measures undertaken by the Centre as well as the state government for developing a women-led development model in the society.
Two lakh women are expected to attend the conference which is scheduled to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The campaign was launched in September last year in form of folk dances by different troupes, art exhibitions, theatrical dramas across cities in Madhya Pradesh to highlight the good governance, social reforms such as widow marriage and measures taken for achieving self-reliance of women, and renovation of key temples by the erstwhile ruler of princely state of Indore in the 18th century.
Ahilyabai is said to be the first ruler who coined the concept of self-reliance of women by promoting the Maheshwari sari, the famous handloom product of Maheshwar, the capital of her kingdom, in Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh.
“We have done thorough research on the works of Ahilyabai in the field of women empowerment, good governance, social reforms and culture such as renovation of some important Hindu shrines across India during her rule before launching the campaign. She will be projected as BJP’s template for women empowerment”, a senior BJP functionary told this newspaper on Thursday.
As a symbol of women empowerment, the state government is trying to make the event of May 31 an all women-affair with deployment women security at the conference and for the prime minister, women anchor for the conference, besides setting up stalls run by women to showcase the achievements of women startups and the women self-help groups (SHGs) on the sidelines of the conference, sources here said.
