Maharashtra BJP women's wing demands rights for tribals to contest Zilla Parishad polls

The state unit of the BJP Mahila Morcha has taken strong exception to election officers allegedly not allowing tribal candidates to contest Zila Parishad polls in Dadra Nagar Haveli.

State BJP Mahila Morcha chief Maneesha Chaudhary alleged that the election officers were not entertaining the nominations of women candidates on the premise that they were not born in Nagar Haveli.

Many tribal women who get married and come to Nagar from Gujarat and Maharashtra are being deprived of their right to contest elections on SC/ST reserved seats, Chaudhary said.

She said the Varli, Kokna, Dhodia, Mayunshi and Rohit castes were classified as SC/ST in Gujarat and Maharashtra but the election officials were not ready to honour it.

Chaudhary said the names of the married women were listed in the electoral rolls and ration cards, and as per regulations any Indian can contest the election from any part of the country.

But officials are insisting that they should be born at the place from where they were contesting, she said.

The Morcha chief also threatened to launch an agitation if the authorities fail to change their decision.