Gruha Lakshmi scheme a tribute to our women: Deputy CM Shivakumar

Bangalore Rural (Karnataka) [India], February 25 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said the Gruhalakshmi scheme was a tribute to women who are the driving force of the Indian culture.
Speaking at a convention of Gruhalakshmi beneficiaries here, he said, "We worship Earth as Mother Earth, every village has a village goddess, women get first preference even in our invitations. Women are the center of our culture, they are the power driving our country."
"There is a saying that educating a woman is equal to opening a school emphasizing the far-reaching benefits of empowering women. We have brought many schemes on this principle. Our State's flag is yellow and red and it represents turmeric and vermillion," he added.
He alleged that the Opposition BJP is trying to spread lies about the schemes launched by the state government.
"Our government will continue to run these schemes not only for the full five years but also for the next term," he said.
Shivakumar asserted that the BJP and JDS have joined hands to defeat DK Suresh who currently represents Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency.
"The BJP and JDS have joined hands to defeat MP DK Suresh. The same Kumaraswamy and Yogeshwar, who were fighting it out till recently, are now embracing each other. The people will teach them a lesson. Despite the BJP-JDS alliance, you have all seen what happened in the Teachers' Constituency election. We have done a survey in the constituency and even the JDS voters are saying they are going to vote for D K Suresh this time," he said.
DK Suresh recently made a controversy after he said that south India will have to be a "separate country" if the Centre continues to "deprive south India of its share of developmental funds".
"A lot of developmental works are happening in Ramanagara district with the help of all Congress leaders. All the people of Ramanagara are Bangaloreans but a separate district has been created only for administrative convenience. We are preparing to get Metro to Bidadi and we have converted the Bidadi Planning Authority into the Greater Bengaluru Planning Authority. We are committed to the development of Bidadi. I call upon the people to support D K Suresh in the upcoming elections," Shivakumar said. (ANI)