Shekhar calls for mass contact programme

NEW DELHI, July 23: Fifteen years ago, former prime minister Chandra Shekhar had started a nation-wide padayatra to focus on key issues concerning people. Now, once again he wants to rekindle the spirit of the endeavour for national construction. Beginning from August 9, the mass contact programme will focus on issues of drinking water, malnutrition, education and elementary health, problems of tribals and Dalits and communal harmony. The 5,000 people who had actively participated in the padayatra 15 years ago, would be involved in mobilising the masses on these issues.

Speaking to reporters here today, Chandra Shekhar said that during these 15 years, things have taken a turn for the worst. He went on to say that 80 per cent of the population had no access to clean drinking water and thousands of children are born blind due to malnutrition. The communal and social question had acquired alarming proportions, he added.

To a question, Chandra Shekhar said, it was not true that he had remained silent on thecontroversy over the Women8217;s Reservation Bill to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Even when the Deve Gowda government had first introduced the Bill he had agreed with the views of people like Sharad Yadav that the benefits of such reservation would only be cornered by women belonging to the forward classes.