DU student raises dropout issue at debate, judge Smriti Irani offers help

Citing a UNICEF report, Himani, a student, said post Covid, women education and employment rates have dropped, and violence has increased.

“I don't know who’ll win the debate... but let’s win the war for women in India," Union Minister Smriti Irani told the student. (Express file photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

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A point made during a debate at Delhi University’s Miranda House Friday ended up in Union Minister Smriti Irani offering to collaborate with a debater to improve the drop-out rate of female students in Haryana’s Mahendragarh district.

The occasion was a debate organised by a youth channel at the college where Irani, the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, was the chief guest. The topic of the debate was Yahi Samay hai Sahi Samay Hai Nari Shakti ka Anmol Samay Hai – The Era of women-led development.

Thank you Miranda House , what a fantastic debating team you have ! Had the pleasure of witnessing the best of speakers engage in deliberations and pronounce possibilities about the future that awaits our great Nation. Irrespective of who took which position during the debate ,… pic.twitter.com/u86KURzu2q

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) September 29, 2023

Citing a UNICEF report, Himani, a student, said post Covid, women education and employment rates have dropped, and violence has increased. Irani asked Himani: “Give me empirical evidence, where young women in our country are currently being denied education… what Constitutional provision…what administrative structure directs denial of education to young women and girls in this country?”

Himani replied: “The empirical evidence to this lies in my very own Mahendragarh district.”

Following this, Irani offered to work together with her on the issue. “Would you like to, in collaboration with me and New India Junction (the youth channel), work in your district…,” Irani asked Himani, adding, “I don’t know who’ll win the debate… but let’s win the war for women in India.”

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